Tokyo Ghoul: Legends
by AngelOfVerdun
Summary: An ancient force obsessed with Kaneki returns to Tokyo, just in time for the events of Tokyo Ghoul to unravel. AU. [KanekiXTouka]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone! Angel here. This is my first fan fiction of any sort. Please be somewhat kind with its reception, if it gets any reception at all.**

 **I'm writing this because I've been wanting to write a fan fiction for quite a while now. I just couldn't find an appropriate center for it though.**

 **Please enjoy and review.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Never one without the other**

 _"_ _Tell me for I cannot see, dear brother."_

"The boy and the Binge-Eater were both crushed by this crane's load."

 _"_ _Ah, how unfortunate."_

"Indeed…"

"What shall become of them?"

"It is not yet their time. We will wait."

* * *

Ken Kaneki was held in place by the steel beams that had just fallen on him. He had lost all feeling in his body, leaving his mind bleeding from consciousness. _No way… No way… No way… Not like this…_ A slight movement in the cool alley air caught the corner of his eye. He struggled to point his head to look skyward. The feeling in his neck returned with an unnaturally painful twist. Kaneki's eyes finally found what they had originally seen. A small shape on top of the crane above him. It was crouching on the end of the crane, staring down at him. He tried to croak out a desperate plea for help, but once again, he lost the remainder of his motor functions. The edges of his vision began to fade into blackness, slowly closing to the center of his eyes.

A warm, young woman's voice whispered to him as lost consciousness, _"Sleep, child."_

Kaneki's brain wearily replied, " _I don't… want to die."_

The voice quietly exhaled, as if it were smiling, " _It is not your time. Not here, not yet."_

 _"_ _Who is we?"_

 _"We are... never one without the other._ _"_

Kaneki's mind attempted to respond, but he felt a soothing touch on the interior of forehead. Finally, after the rollercoaster of a night, he blacked out.

* * *

 **A handful of weeks later**

"What are you doing, Mr. Uta?" Touka smiled, her expression softening.

Uta craned over his shoulder, "I thought I would surprise you."

The lanky gothic man crawled down from his pedestal. Kaneki was an image of pure terror, frozen in place after being scared by the older ghoul.

Touka, still grinning, said, "Ha ha, this is Mr. Uta. He'll make you your mask."

"I'm Uta."

Kaneki struggled to bow and greet in response, "I-I'm Kaneki…Nice to…"

Suddenly, Uta leaned forward, examining Kaneki. He sniffed, "You smell unusual." He turned to the young woman on his left, "Touka, I see the doves are on the prowl."

"What of it?"

"The 20th Ward is nice and quiet. They used to…" Uta looked back at Kaneki, who was slowly attempting to back away from the older man. He grabbed the boy's shirt, who proceeded to cringe and clinch uncontrollably, and returned to his conversation with Touka, "They used to leave you alone." Once again, he sniffed Kaneki, "I'm guessing this has to be Ms. Rize's doing."

Touka glowered at the two, "Tsukiyama seems to be pressing his luck lately, too."

"Ah yes, him…"

Kaneki finally spoke up, "Uhh, is the 20th Ward more peaceful…? I wouldn't know."

"Live somewhere else for a bit and you'll find out," Uta leaned forward, eyes suddenly widening with glee, "If you like, you can stay here overnight. You may see some cannibalism if you're lucky. That's always fun."

Kaneki cringed and broke away from Uta's grasp, "N-N-No, thank you."

"It must be nice that there's a place like Anteiku for you," Uta stood up, "Sit over there and I'll take your measurements."

Touka snorted and stalked away. _This is so unfair. As much as I understand the danger of the doves, the manager should have made someone else babysit this idiot._ She picked up a grey mask lying on a counter in front of her. She placed it in front of her face and just as quickly put it down. It felt so inanimate, so inappropriate. It wasn't hers. "What about Touka?" She heard Uta whisper from across the room. She sighed and turned back towards Kaneki and Uta. They were both staring at her. Touka felt her cheeks warm as she blushed and opened her mouth to spew a profanity in their general direction.

 **CREAK!**

The door of the shop slowly swung open halfway. The three people inside all simultaneously turned to the source of noise. The entire atmosphere of the room became cold, as the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. The hairs on Kaneki's exposed skin stood on end as electric shocks seemed to resonate along his extremities. Kaneki gasped as the same woman's voice from his night with Rize spoke in his head, " _Oh, it's him."_

However, the figure that stepped through the doorway was male. He was nearly a head shorter than Kaneki. _He can't be any older than 16. What is he doing in here? Is he a ghoul? Where is the woman?_ Kaneki thought to himself.

 _"His heart beats faster. He knows"  
_ _"Yes, he does."_

Kaneki nearly threw himself on the floor from the voice in his head, _Who... Who are you?_

 _"Perhaps, death would have been a blessing for him. He is terrified, scared of his own shadow. There is water everywhere now."  
_ _"They are tears. We were like that once."  
_ _"But not now..."  
"No... Now where the spectre goes, his ghost follows in his wake."  
"Tell me mortal, would you like to hear a story?"_

Kaneki grabbed his sides, unmoving, frozen in terror for the second time in half an hour, _I-I... Yes?_

 _"Brother, tell us a story!"  
"There was once a young woman, beautiful as the sun herself, who was, oh, so very lonely."  
"Why was she lonely?"  
"She was different from everyone. She was too kind, too naive."  
"So she found a friend?"  
_ _"One day, she found a man, dying. She had never seen death and so was scared for him. She called upon her Birth Right to preserve his life."  
_ _"But he was not her friend?"  
_ _"He saw her power and smote her where she stood."  
_ _"This was not her end."  
_ _"He had cloven her in half. She revoked her blessing and he fell lifeless."  
_ _"Yes! Vengeance!"  
_ _"She was left with her two souls. She tried to fix herself, but then stopped when she realized..."  
"When she realized she shouldn't. When she realized she would always have a friend now..."_

Kaneki, now horrified beyond belief, cowered behind his own hands. Tears dripped in slow rivulets down his cheeks.

 _I'm going crazy. Please, someone help me! First I'm turned into a half-ghoul monster, I nearly eat my best friend, I meet the she-devil incarnate, and now I'm hearing voices telling me stories. Help!_

The newly entered person quietly voiced, "Hello Uta. I caught wind that there was a rabbit and an eyepatch in your shop."

"Yes, his name is Kaneki. Why are you here, Borei? I haven't seen, nor heard of you for such a long time" Uta tilted his head respectfully.

Borei looked at Kaneki and Touka, then walked over to the girl, "When you return to Anteiku, tell the manager that we have returned. We need to meet him tonight, after Anteiku closes."

"Mr. Borei, we haven't seen you for years," Touka gasped, then a look of confusion dawned on her face, "You said we. Where is Ms. Yurei?"

"It is... a long... very long story; one I would love to share with everyone back at Anteiku. Please, go tell Yoshimura that we need to meet."

Touka nodded without question and walked over to Kaneki. She yanked him by his shirt out of his chair and to the door.

"Call us when his mask is finished please, Mr. Uta," she requested before stepping outside.

Uta winked at her then turned his attention to Borei, "You never answered my question, Spectre. I sense you are here for another reason than for a messenger."

"Yes. Tell me, No Face. Have they forgotten us yet?"

"They... We all know you, though some try to forget."

The newcomer smiled, "Good. Soon, we will remind them all."


	2. Chapter 2: Strange Meetings

**A/N: Hey everyone! Angel here! I'm sorry about the length and satisfaction level of the first chapter. I was just excited to get out my first chapter that I didn't really spend much time on the story, or length in general I suppose. Anyway, as a note, I've decided to add in some pretty rad stuff to my story that is just getting introduced or hinted at in this chapter. If you notice any it and don't like it, please feel free to mention it. I will definitely revise said parts if I get enough comments on it. Otherwise, enjoy and review please! Reviews are sooooo helpful!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Strange Meetings**

"T-Touka!" Kaneki stopped on the bridge that he and the female ghoul had previously crossed on their way to Uta's.

Touka glowered back at him, "What?"

"W-What, exactly, happened to Hinami?"

"Why would you want to know that? It doesn't matter to you." Touka returned to walking, but was forced to pause again.

"I want… I want to know. If there's anything I can do…"

Touka scowled and stared at his feet, "She has to live separately from her father now, so she's probably anxious. She usually isn't like that."

"Really?" Kaneki suddenly had a touch of pain in his stomach as he remembered his father, who had died when he was younger, "Oh… Um, by the way, what are the those masks used for?"

"What?! You came along without knowing even that?!" Touka clenched her fists and stomped where she stood. _That damned manager… First my only day off, now this shit._

"Uhhh.… Umm…."

Touka maintained her death glare, but her voice lost some of its edge, "The doves. That's what we call the ghoul investigators. If you have a run-in with the doves, then you don't want them seeing your face. That's why we're having Mr. Uta make you a mask."

Touka turned back to walk. "W-Wait, I have another question!" Kaneki stepped forward and raised his hand, then realized she wasn't stopping. He ran after her, trying to keep up. Touka sighed and muttered back, "What is it, damn Kaneki?"

"That person. That boy back in Uta's shop. Who was he?"

Touka's next footstep hesitated and she nearly tripped and fell. However, she finally slowed her pace enough for Kaneki to catch his breath, "That **boy** is the most dangerous person both you and I have ever met."

"Huh? He was so young though."

"… He's older than both of us… I think…."

 _There must be so much I don't understand about ghoul physiology then._ "Oh, I see. Why does he want to talk with the manager?"

Touka growled at him, "How the hell should I know? I haven't seen him for nearly four years. I'm sure we'll both find out though. The manager will almost certainly call for a meeting when they are finished talking."

Catching onto her growing animosity, Kaneki gave up on trying to converse with the teenage girl. _The woman's voice I heard. Who was that? Am I going crazy? I guess it wouldn't be a reach considering the events that have happened recently…_

 **Center for the Commission of Counter Ghoul  
**  
First Class Ghoul Investigator Mado Kureo practically pranced into Associate Special Class Ghoul Investigator Shinzoku Kage's office space. Mado twittered in glee, "Shinzoku! I have created a new quinque from my last investigation. I call it, the Fueguchi One! Would you care to see?"

Kage raised one eyebrow and continued to fill out the extremely tedious paperwork from his own investigation, "Not particularly. Your obsession with rending the body parts off of ghouls is not something I want dirtying my thought process."

"Oh, but isn't that the point?" Mado cackled, "They hunt us like animals. They disembowel us for sport. Shouldn't we have some pleasure in wreaking vengeance on our predators?"

Kage sighed and put his work down, "If you say so. How is your daughter… What was her name, Akira?"

Mado's manical demeanor immediately shifted to a more serious, proud parental tone, "Yes, Akira. She just made Rank Two Investigator. She was valedictorian of her class at the Academy."

 _His mood swings are almost comical, if he weren't so utterly insane,_ Kage thought to himself. He glanced at his watch, which said **8:59**. "Oh… Shit… I'm supposed to meet with Doctor Chigyou in less than a minute."

Kage jumped to his feet and rushed out of the door, pausing only to grab his suit jacket, leaving Mado sitting by himself in the senior investigator's office. A few seconds later, Kage peeked his head back into his office, "As much as I would **love** to stay and chat it up with you, get out. I don't want to chance catching your obsessive contagion from your loitering near my workspace."

 **Commision of Counter Ghoul Laboratory Division**

Kage sprinted to the glass door of the CCG Laboratory building. He flung the entrance open and ran to the front security desk. "Shit, where is it. Where is it?" He muttered, fumbling for his wallet.

"May I help you?" the receptionist asked.

Kage looked up at her, holding his prize up, his CCG ID. The receptionist smiled and took it. She looked at it, then her eyes widened in surprise as she scanned it. "Oh… Oh… Go on through, Investigator Shinzoku," she stammered.

He grinned cheekily, grabbing his ID. Kage ran through the Rc cell detector and into the elevator. He mashed the button to the lowest floor and fell into the side of the elevator, gasping for air. Finally stabilizing his breathing, he looked over to realize there was another occupant in the confined space.

She was a beautiful, blonde young woman that was several inches taller than himself. She was wearing a red oxford with an accompanying red tie and a dark blue suit skirt. Her mouth was set into a straight line with a grave complexion. She looked eerily familiar…

 **DING! DING! "Floor: Basement. Arrived."**

Now, if you were to look at the situation from a completely uninvolved, nonpartisan perspective, you would see a young woman, in professional business attire, of average height standing in an elevator, seeming completely at ease. On the other side of the elevator, you would see a considerably shorter, out of breath, and sweaty young man, in a disheveled attempt at a suit. After all but flying into the elevator, the man's eyes creep to the corners of his to stare at the woman beside him, followed by the motion of his entire face turning. His head stays this way until the elevator stops. When the elevator stops, the two are greeted by an unenthused scientist in a lab coat. The mess of a man continues to glare at the other occupant of the elevator, albeit with a mouth now slightly open and his left eyebrow raised. Finally, the young woman notices the visual examination that she is undergoing.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mado Akira shouted at Kage.

Snapping out of his daze, Kage looked at Dr. Chigyou, the head of the CCG Lab Division, then at Akira, then back at Chigyou. He slid out of the elevator, never taking his gaze off of the now pissed off younger Mado. Kage grinned at Akira, "I do apologize for my rudeness, but trust me, we've both seen something far crazier. In fact, I was just talking to him a little while ago! I think his last name might have been Mado!"

"Why you shitty little… IMP!" Akira made to step out of the elevator, but Dr. Chigyou blocked her way.

"Ah, miss Mado! You're on time!" Chigyou tried to break the tension, "And…. Shinzoku… You're late."

The doctor held Akira back from pounding the other investigator, "Miss Mado, please refrain from killing the Associate Special Class Investigator Shinzoku. I'm sure your superiors would not be happy that such a recently decorated graduate of the Academy just murdered the most decorated Associate Special Class Investigator."

Akira gasped as it dawned on her who exactly the person cowering hiding behind Chigyou was.

"Hello!" Kage waved, his grin widening.

"I… You… What…" Akira stammered, "…."

Chigyou placed his hand on her shoulder, removing her from the elevator, and directed her to a waiting room down the hallway, "Miss Mado, please wait here for the time being. I apologize for the wait, but Shinzoku was late and our meeting cannot be delayed any further."

Akira allowed herself to be led away from the Kage, who was still grinning like a madman and waving. Chigyou returned to the "imp" and snorted, "Lovely impression you made on her."

"It happens," Kage shrugged, "Now what was so important that you had to drag me down here at the end of the day?"

"Follow me," Chigyou motioned with his hand and Kage fell into step.

The pair entered a testing laboratory room several doors down the hallway. Dr. Chigyou walked over to the windows and closed the reinforced steel barricades. Kage examined the room and saw a singular table sitting in the center with a briefcase on top of it. Shinzoku took one look at it and said, "No. I've told you over and over, I don't need a quinque. Stop bugging me about it."

Chigyou turned back to him and answered, "It's not a quinque. Open it."

Drug by his curiosity, the investigator walked over to the table and clicked open the fasteners of the briefcase. He sighed and raised the lid. Inside was a manila folder named **_Ghoul Case: Spectre_**. "We have reason to believe that the ghoul known as Spectre is back in Tokyo somewhere. The chairman wants you to handle the investigation personally."

Kage glanced through the file, "I suppose I don't really have a choice. You **do** remember what happened to me the last time I encountered him though, right?"

"Yes I do. I was the one responsible for maintaining your health. However, I seem to recall you claiming that you injured him just as mortally?" Chigyou nodded gravely.

"Yeah. His wounds heal faster though. Tell the chairman he's a bitch for sending me to do it instead of Arima."

"I'll be sure to exactly that."

Kage closed the briefcase, grabbed it, and proceeded to leave the room. He hesitated for a moment, then put his best shit-eating grin on before saying, "Please do apologize to miss Mado for me. I meant no ill will to her or her most honorable father."

Chigyou smiled, "Get out you little shit, before I call her back for your head."

 **11:00 P.M. — Anteiku**

All of the employees of Anteiku were gathered in the main area of the cozy coffee shop. Komo and Irimi sat at one of the smaller tables, enjoying two cups of steaming coffee. Simultaneously, Ryouko and Hinami, mother and daughter, sat together at a different table, both of them reading. Yomo had taken up his silent post in the corner of the room. Meanwhile, Kaneki and Touka had sat at opposite ends of the room, the latter affixing the former with her infamous, glorified death glare. Kaneki, withering, stared at his coffee cup, warming both his hands on either side. Finally, the manager, Yoshimura, entered from the back door.

"I am sorry for the late hours, but all of you needed to be present for this," Yoshimura began, "According to Touka, Borei, Spectre, has returned. He has requested to meet with me, however, I believe we would all benefit from seeing him again, or, in Kaneki's case, for the first time."

Hinami started, practically jumping out of her seat, "Onii-chan and One-san are back?!"

The manager smiled in return, "To my understanding, Borei will meet us here. However, Touka did not say that he mentioned Yurei."

Kaneki leaned over to Ryouko and whispered, "I think I've already met Borei, somewhat, but who is Yurei?"

Ryouko replied, "Yurei is his twin sister. They both worked here for a time. While they were here, Yurei was the life of this shop."

"Oh."

In the near silence, a loud resounding knock filled the air. Everyone flinched, but the only one to respond immediately was Hinami. She ran to the door and flung it open. The person that Kaneki met earlier stepped inside. This time, though, he actually got a decent look at him.

Spectre, Borei, was a young man with angled black hair, much like any other Asian. He looked to be about two inches shorter than Kaneki himself. His dress was very casual, consisting of dark blue jeans and a black zip-up hoodie with a black undershirt. He had a young face, but his eyes…. His eyes spoke of something else though, someone much older.

"Onii-chan!" Hinami shouted, hugging his midsection. Smiling, he bent down and returned the hug.

"I wasn't expecting a welcome party, Yoshimura," Spectre winked at the manager.

Yoshimura, too, walked over to the newcomer, "It is nice to see you again, Borei."

"You know, I've told you this so many times. My sister was the one that preferred to be called by her personal name. I prefer my operational name."

The manager chuckled, "After five years of not seeing you, I suppose I can respect your wishes."

Spectre stood up and greeted the rest of the room, "Komo, Irimi. Pleasure to see you. I hope your disputes are settled."

The two ghouls tilted their heads respectfully.

He walked over to Ryouko Fueguchi and gently grabbed her hand, "Ms. Fueguchi, it has been too long."

"Likewise. You are always welcome under our roof," Ryouko beamed.

"Yomo, always taller than me, and always in your corner," Spectre bowed, to which the white haired ghoul responded in kind.

He then looked at Touka, who immediately froze in her nervous tapping, "Touka, you've grown up. You're no different than you were years ago. My sister promised me to tell you that you'll… and I quote… 'You'll always be that little chibi of a blueberry.'"

Touka's face went as red as a beet and she looked towards the ground, "Thank you."

Turning to the rest of the room, Spectre cleared his throat, "I… suppose you have many questions for me. I'll start with the foremost: Where and why did I go? Short story, I left because of the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor _Accident_. Now the runner-up question, why did I return? I am here for you," he pointed at Kaneki, "and for the One-Eyed Owl." He fixed Yoshimura with a pointed stare.

Hinami, still attached to his hip, murmured, "Where is One-chan?"

"That **is** the third most need-to-know question, isn't it?" Spectre's eyes glazed over, "The nuclear meltdown in Fukushima was **not** an accident, nor due to an earthquake. Well, I suppose it was. The earthquake itself was a direct result of a Rift Opening."

Yoshimura gasped, "No! The last one was sealed over twenty years ago!"

Spectre nodded morosely, "It was. He's back, manager. We knew it was only a matter of time before he found another way back. As for his current status, I don't know his whereabouts or plans."

Yoshimura's face went pale, and he stumbled back to a seat, shaking, "You… were telling us of your sister…?"

"Yes. She left me to control the Keeper of that particular Rift, while she, herself, went to control the situation at the nuclear plant," he answered, "By the time I had finished the Keeper and gotten back to the plant, she had kept two of the three active reactors from losing complete control. Reactor number two though…"

Spectre's mind exploded in a flash of colors as he recalled the event.

A woman's voice, " _Is this what it feels like to end?"_

His answer, _"I do not know."_

A sad smile, _"You do not know, because this is not our end."_

A light purple aura, then a bright flash of light.

Japanese workers, exhausted, sitting on the ground. A smoking crater in the place of the second reactor.

A woman crying in the distance.

"… Spectre!…. Borei!… Can you hear me?"

Spectre's eyes flashed open. He shook his head, reacquainting himself with his surroundings. The manager had his hand on his shoulder, a look of worry on his face. He had zoned out…

"I… apologize. The second reactor's meltdown could not be controlled. Yurei evacuated all of the workers she could then consecrated the ground and called upon her Respite. The… resulting explosion was too much for her to deal with fast enough. She used her body as a vessel to dissipate the radiation. She… sacrificed herself to keep the reactor from spreading radiation across the Western seaboard and Eastern Asia."

A very audible silence filled the room. Hinami's small voice could be heard, quiet gasps between sobs of realization. Kaneki looked around at everyone, _I don't know either of these people, but I feel like I've had a stake driven through my heart. Who IS he? And who was is his sister?_

Spectre gathered his breath, "I imagine you have many, many more questions, but they will **have** to wait. I have information that there is a meeting in the 24th ward concerning the One-Eyed Owl tonight. I intend to be there. May I continue operating under the assumption that I have permission to take up residence and employment at this shop?"

The manager, albeit slightly aghast, nodded, "Of course. Of course. You are always welcome here."

"Thank you," Spectre proceeded to walk to the door he came in, then turned to look at Kaneki, "We should talk… Is tomorrow alright? After your shift here?"

It took a few seconds for Kaneki to register the question, "… Oh! Y-yeah! I-I mean, yes. That works perfectly for me."

"Good. I will see you here after your shift then."

With that, Spectre opened the door and stepped outside into the crisp night air, closing the door behind him. He took off at a jaunt in the general direction of the 24th ward.

Inside the restaurant, Yoshimura spoke up, "I hope this meeting was not as disappointing nor saddening to everyone as it was to me. However, thank you for coming. Please, enjoy the rest of this night."

Kaneki got up, dazed, considering the request to meet after his work shift. Someone shoved him: Touka. He spun around to face her with a retort, but stopped when he saw her face. Her eyes were red and her voice was in the back of her throat, "P-push your chair in you shit-head. And if I hear you crying about any more of your misfortune tonight, so help me God, I will kill you!"

She ran off upstairs to her room, leaving the college boy speechless, for the second time that night.


	3. Chapter 3: More Strange Meetings

**Chapter 3: More Strange Meetings**

 **1:00 A.M. - Somewhere in the 24th Ward**

Spectre crept along the shadows of the sidewalk leading to the warehouse. He stopped for a moment, taking in the night air. _It's so polluted, I'd nearly forgotten,_ he mused. He exhaled and took his mask out of his pocket, a simple white ski mask with only slits for the eyes. He donned the mask and pulled the hood of his jacket up over his head. He paused, sensing something else, something out of the ordinary. He instinctively backed into the corner by a staircase leading up into a shop he was in front of. He scanned the street around him, finding nothing. Then he turned his attention to the rooftops.

 _There,_ he peered at the roof a block behind the way he had come. A tiny flash of light came from it, then disappeared just as quickly. His breath hitched and he saw another blip of light on the rooftop directly across from him.

 _Spotters' scopes,_ he thought, _with snipers surely by their sides._

He rolled his shoulders then stepped back onto the sidewalk, admittedly hugging more to the buildings' sides. _The CCG must know about the meeting tonight. But if they know about it, then they know there will be too many ghouls for them to overpower. What are they planning?"_

He reached the main street between him and the warehouse. He sighed then stepped off the curb onto the fully lit road, and picked up his pace across it. He could feel the marksmen's scopes bored in on his back. When he reached the side door of the meeting place, he knocked on it. The door opened a crack and a female with a bird mask, was it a falcon? No... It was a parakeet. How hilarious.

"This factory is closed for the night. What do you want?" she asked.

"This factory is the temporary home to the meeting of Aogiri Tree," Spectre answered, "I want entrance, obviously."

She thought about this for a second then ducked behind the door. A minute later, she reappeared, "Thank you for coming. Your presence is welcomed."

"It better be," he growled and stepped inside, finally releasing a sigh of relief.

"Right this way, sir."

He followed the woman up a flight of stairs and through a soundproofed door. Inside, there were at least a hundred, extremely rowdy ghouls standing in front of an elevated stage. Spectre looked up and behind him. There were three ghouls in red cloaks holding the symbol of the Aogiri tree with their kagune out, ready to strike down any rebellious acts. _Glad I couldn't be disappointed by these fanatics_.

He turned his attention back to the stage and looked closer. He could make out only one person standing up. There were at least four other people sitting down up there. _Is that Yamori?_ He peered from the back, trying to confirm what he saw. _Yep, stupid blonde hair and even stupider hockey mask. Definitely that brutish oaf._

His thoughts were interrupted as said Yamori cleared his throat, surprisingly loud and clear in the confined space with all the ruckus, "Fellow ghouls. Brothers. Sisters."

He cracked a finger, "Tonight, a select few of us executives are here to inform you, the general mass, of our goal for this upcoming **project**."

A purple haired man... no... boy stood up, "As you well know, we have been hitting CCG operations for years now. We have had great success lately against the doves. Our next hit will be next week. I cannot give you the specifics for obvious reasons, but I can tell you this: If you want to aid in our effort against these tyrants... these monsters, then come to the docks here in the 24th ward next week on Thursday, at 5 P.M. We will welcome you with open arms."

 _That cheeky bastard_ , Spectre scowled, _I knew I should've put him down when he was younger._

"We're here to kill humans!" A man shouted from the crowd, "We're here to kill humans in an **organized** fashion!"

The crowd laughed then shouted in agreement.

Spectre could make out a handful of the people's voices, "They killed my son!"

"They killed my family! I am the only one left!"

"We want revenge!"

"We can kill humans anytime we want, but we want revenge against the doves!"

The crowd erupted into a riot as they demanded retribution on the humans that had ruined their lives.

A sharp pain in his brain stabbed Spectre. He clutched his head in agony as he tried to block the noise around him. The voices... There were so many... So many lives gone... So much death...

Laughter filled his mind, _You seem to have grown a sense of empathy! How frightful. Now you know how I felt through all of your merciless killing._

He crashed to his knees screaming in remorse, but was drowned out by the chaos around him, _No! Make them stop! All the voices, there are so many._

 _Of course there are, dear brother. You didn't think you could outrun them all did you?_

 _There are so many... How many have died because of me?_

 _Too many, yet not enough. Such is the price of our birth rights._

 _Why must we live with this curse?_

 _It is not a curse, but a blessing that we feel all living things._

 _We feel their life extinguished._

 _Yes, we do. But is that not the joy of this world? To live life to the maximum then end it just as gloriously?_

 _I suppose so..._

 _Wait... The Owl is here. She knows you're here._

 _How?_

 _The woman that let you in told her._

 _Shit. I should've seen that coming._

Spectre got up from the position he had fallen to and looked at the stage. Sure enough, Eto was there, whispering to a now standing Tatara, pointing towards him. The tall ghoul, clad in white with his red mask, nodded and waved three of his underlings over to him. He pointed directly at Spectre.

A blinding pain shot through his mind as he felt all three of the Aogiri members' extreme killing intent. Looking around desperately, he saw his exit. He hurriedly pushed his way over to one of the windows of the warehouse. Spectre looked over his shoulder to see the underlings rapidly closing the distance between them. He peeked out the window.

 _Yep, the marksmen are still there_. He reached to his belt, grasping his knife.

 _Don't fight. There are too many._

 _Sometimes, I really wish you had actually died._

Spectre looked at his would be attackers, then to the window, then back, and finally back to the window. He bent his legs and pushed off, averting all of his upward power into the window. The glass shattered and he went flying out of the warehouse. With only three stories of height to adjust his posture, he immediately rotated into a feet downward position. As soon as he hit the ground, he rolled into a crouch and time slowed to a jarring halt.

 _I count seven snipers trained on the window you just exited. They haven't been able to zero in on you though, I don't think. You need to book it down the alley to your ten o'clock._

 _Thank you._

 _You're welcome, now focus._

He concentrated his mind. There was always a small pocket in his brain that felt separate, almost blocked off from the rest. With a practiced touch, Spectre enveloped that pocket with his consciousness and took in its coldness. Immediately, he felt his brain functions begin to free up as he accessed more areas of his mind. He pushed all of his energy into his left foot, the one in the front.

 _Now!_

Time returned to its normal flow. He pushed his left foot back and his body flew into motion, shooting into the alley slightly to his left. He could hear the angry shouting from the warehouse he had left far behind in his wake. Gunfire suddenly erupted behind him as well. Smiling at his successful getaway, he reached the end of the alley and jumped up on fire escape. He scaled the ladders to the roof and popped over the side of the building. Exhausted from the burst of speed, he finally allowed himself to slow down, once again setting up the barriers to that realm of power in his brain.

"You! Stop!" A man's voice shouted from behind him.

He whipped around to see a CCG Investigator running after him, holding a quinque that looked like a barrel on a stick.

"I will really don't have time for this. What do you want? And who the hell even are you?" Spectre yelled back, stopping.

The man caught up to him, "I am Investigator Amon. And you are the infamous ghoul, Spectre! Even though your mask has changed slightly, I still recognize you from all the reports! No matter, I will bring you down!"

 _We don't have time for this. I'm really... *yawn*... sleepy._

 _Fine. Fine. How do you want him, ground or smoked?_

 _Does it fucking sound like I care? Just get this over with, I'm tired._

Spectre sighed, "Mr. Amon, I apologize for this."

The dove gasped and stepped back, taking up a fighting stance. The masked runner drove his feet into the ground and flipped forward, toward Amon. The investigator raised his quinque to strike back with his superior range. However, Spectre moved through the air with silent, blinding speed, and planted his right heel straight into the back of Amon's head. Amon felt his vision go black as the force drove his body downward. His face connected with the rooftop, with a resounding crunch heard as his entire body went limp, his quinque returning to its more petite, briefcase version.

Spectre murmured, "I'm sorry. I really do hope I only broke your nose."

With that comment, he proceeded to run as fast his legs could take him back to the 20th ward, and back to Anteiku.

 **4:00 - Anteiku**

Spectre smashed his face up against the glass of the coffee shop windows.

 _Lovely, no one awake. I should've expected as much_ , he thought.

 _You could always break in._

 _Yeah, but the only window that opens..._

 _Is Touka's. I know. So be really quiet. That little chibi of a girl always has her headphones on._

He grunted and walked over to underneath Touka's bedroom window. Scratching his chin momentarily, he placed a foot onto the brick below her room and pushed off and upwards. He latched onto the window will and pulled himself up, resting on his elbows. Taking out his knife, Spectre slid the blade in between the two window cracks and pushed the latch up. He retracted the blade most of the way and pushed it to the right. The window opened with a very quiet squeak. He proceeded to unceremoniously haul himself through the window and into Touka's bedroom.

Spectre looked around the room, searching for its inhabitant. Touka was nowhere to be seen. Sighing in relief, he stood up and tiptoed out of her room and toward the exit of the suite. He went to grab the doorknob when the door suddenly opened and the Crown Princess of Purple Heads herself walked in.

"Holy shit, what the fuck!" Touka screamed scrambling backwards, hands grasping for an imaginary weapon.

"Oh my god! This is not what it looks like!" Spectre responded in kind.

Both people looked at each other again then squealed again. Spectre hauled ass into his former, and hopefully current, suite, while Touka made a mad crawl for hers. Spectre closed his door behind him and flopped to the ground, panting.

 _You're so damned awkward. You'd have thought your balls dropped just yesterday._

 _I thought you were sleepy?_

 _I couldn't sleep with you sounding like a pig. You know she's coming, right? You can hear her footsteps?_

 **Knock! Knock!**

 _Yep, called it._

Spectre grabbed for the door, pulling himself up and opened it.

"Look, Touka. Everything was..." He abashedly began.

Touka stood at his door, dressed in her typical nightwear: sweatpants and baggy white t-shirt, "Can we talk, please?"

"It's... 4:08 in the morning. Don't you have school tomorrow or something?"

"You can drive me."

"Oh. Ok."

The girl stepped into his room and they both went into his living room. His suite was exactly how he remembered it. There was a couch and two recliners positioned around a mahogany coffee table. A small flat screen television was set up on a stand in front of these items. The kitchen held all of its standard utilities. Even the paint scheme was the same, albeit a few chips on the ceiling from mildew and non-use over the years.

Touka sat herself down on a recliner, while Spectre, himself, flopped down on the couch.

"You have a lot of explaining to do." Touka muttered.

"Where do you want to start?"

"You left all of us five years ago. You knew how much you meant to us, and you and your sister still both left."

"You do realize that if we had not intervened, the entirety of Japan and it's local island would, legitimately, not be on the map anymore, right?"

"Of course I know that you shitter! But you left without even a goodbye. One day you were here, and the next you weren't. Like, how did you even know the accident was going to happen?!"

 _Now that I think about it, she has a point, you know._

 _Ok, now I'm fuckin' sleepy too. Can you shut up and let me handle this?_

 _Nope._

"Touka. First, the threat was imminent, so we couldn't delay. We almost missed the flight to Fukushima. Second, we just knew it was going to happen. Third, it wasn't an accident. I've already explained this."

Touka blinked at the simplistic response, "Oh. You said something about a Rift and a Keeper?"

"You don't need to know about those, yet."

"I'm not a child anymore! You can explain these things to me!" she shouted, growing increasingly angry.

"Actually you **are** a child. And honestly, I'm just tired and want to sleep."

"Oh... I'm sorry. I've just... I've missed you... I've missed you both more than you can imagine."

 _Same. Do you know how adorable that is? She can't stop glancing at you!_

 _Oh. My. God. Shut. UP!_

Spectre sighed, "I've missed all of you too. I'm back now though, and I can't even begin to explain everything that has happened in one night."

"You were gone for five years. The incident at Fukushima only lasted a small portion of that time. What did you do in the years between then and now?"

"I travelled. You know this. Whenever I left in the past, where did I say I went?"

"You said... You said you travelled to other worlds, but what did you mean by that? How is that even possible?"

"I think that is a conversation best left to be heard by fresh ears. Will you meet with the half-ghoul, what was his name? Kaneki? Will you meet with us tomorrow, when his shift is done?"

"That baka? Why are you so interested in him?" Touka scowled.

"I'm interested in him because he is human. He is human tainted with ghoul blood. As history has shown, humans refuse to be driven extinct, despite how hard they themselves try..."

"Tainted?!"

"Yes, tainted. He was born as a pure human, but was tainted later on. On the other hand, you were born fully ghoul. If you became a hybrid, then you would be tainted by human." Spectre raised his hand patiently, "Humans refuse to be eradicated. They've created weapons of mass destruction with the full intention of doing so to themselves. Same thing with ghouls. They've been driven to near extinction, but yet still exist, growing in strength. I want to make sure that there exists at least one hybrid, who exhibits the best of both species."

"Humans are evil though! They're cruel! They just want to wipe us out!" Touka's voice crescendoed.

"Ghouls are predators of humans. There are those ghouls that eat for pure enjoyment, yes? Then what is the difference, besides numbers?"

 _Careful... You wouldn't want to offend her too much now, would you?_

 _Advisement noted._

"I... They... We... How dare you!" Touka gasped angrily, raising a hand to her mouth.

Spectre stood up and walked over to Touka's chair, where she withdrew further into the recesses of the fabric. He bent down into a crouching position and put his hand in her lap. She tentatively laid her hand in his, shaking. He then surrounded her single hand with his other.

"Touka, you grew up in a cruel world. You didn't ask for it, you simply endured it. I realize that your only goal is to ensure that other children do not have to go through the same fate that you did. I will not pretend to understand what you've been through, because they alone are you own experiences," he whispered, "That being said, you have no idea what I have been through either, nor what I have seen. I know, for a fact, that peaceful coexistence is possible. It must be possible, or there will never be a universal kindness in the world. My sister taught me that. One last lesson before leaving this world. She would have wanted all those she cared about to know that."

Touka's quivering slowed to a near stop as tears began to form in her eyes, "I-I'm so sorry. I'm sure you miss her. I don't quite understand the concept of accepting humans for what they are, because I have only seen cruelty and violence from them."

"You should get out more then," he smiled warmly, "As there are kind ghouls, there are kinder humans."

Spectre eyed the clock on the microwave in the kitchen and got up suddenly, "My god. It's so late. I... am going to go to sleep. You should as well..." He looked down at Touka, who had just fallen asleep, tears still streaming down her face. _Well great_ , he sighed.

He carefully, gingerly, picked the girl up and walked over to his bedroom door. Struggling with the salty, wet mess of a teenager, he shoved the door open with his foot and turned sideways to avoid banging her head on the door. Finally, he crept over to his bed and laid on top of the fresh sheets. Spectre peeled the blankets back and pulled them over Touka, who had now curled up into a fetal position. Straightening his body up, he looked at his work.

 _You are the most hopeless romantic._

 _You know as well as I do that my interest in her is purely platonic. She's a baby compared to me. Think about it. This... *mental gesturing*... would be like me dating a two year old. That's sickening._

 _I mean, if it's your thing I won't judge. But personally, I think you're more of the guy person, if you know what I mean._

 _I **will** stab you._

 _You can't._

 _I will stab myself._

 _Don't._

 _Then stop it._

 _Stop what?_

 _Stop calling me gay._

 _Stop telling you the truth?_

 _I've told you countless times..._

 _You're waiting for the right woman... or was that person?_

 **Woman**. _Yes, I'm waiting for the right one, and she is most definitely **not** the right one._

 _Okay, okay fine. I'll stop... for tonight, because I'm as tired as you are and I want some sleep. But where will you sleep?_

 _Obviously not in my bed, it's too small. The couch, perhaps?_

Spectre tiptoed out of his room, silently closing the room. He continued to the quite comfortable looking couch and crawled onto it. "Shit," he muttered and got up. He walked over to the linen closet, grabbing a blanket from it, and dragging it haphazardly across the ground back to the couch. He once again threw himself onto the sofa and proceeded to turn, twisting the blanket around him.

 _Fine, but if my... your... our neck hurts in the morning it's your fault._

 _Actually, it's your fault. Your sympathy kept me from kicking her out on her ass when she got all, "Oh, humans are evil. Ghouls are God's gift to Earth."_

 _I'm going to sleep, good night._

 _I hate you. Good night._

* * *

 **A/N: So ladies and gents, it would appear Spectre is pretty crazy, right? Voices and everything in his head, after all, seem to signal such things.**

 **I hope you aren't too mad at my emphasis on my OC. I feel as if the manga and anime did their fair share of breathing life into the characters. This is just my equal amount of characterization of my own character.**

 **I believe in carefully placing characters that influence stories such as these, without changing the actual main canon. That is what I am trying hard to do. If you see otherwise, please don't hesitate to tell me so.**

 **Anyway, thank you for joining me in this chapter. I hope to have the next one written and uploaded within the next few days.**

 **As always, follow, favorite, review, or simply read! I will continue to love to write these because I love seeing that people, at the very minimum, read the first chapter, then continue to read.**

 **3**

 **~~ Angel**


	4. Chapter 4: Tsukiyama

**Chapter 4: Tsukiyama**

Touka slowly opened her eyes, awakening from her deep slumber. Vision still blurred, she could barely make out a humanoid shape above her.

"Toukaaaaa, wake up!" a distinctly female voice whined.

Touka's eyes snapped open and she shot up. She examined her surroundings and saw that she was sitting on a bench in front of her school. Her friend, Yoriko, was standing in front of her, smiling and tapping her watch, "Touka, we have five minutes until our first class starts. We'll be late if we don't get going!"

The raven haired girl smiled instinctively as she recalled the previous night's events. Then it dawned on her and she looked down. She was dressed in her school uniform, rather than her nightwear. "Yoriko, how did I get here?" she plaintively asked, flabbergasted on the inside.

At this point, her friend was blushing until she was the same color as the bench Touka was sitting on, "Some guy brought you here. He carried you over here and waited for me, then told me to wake you up before class started."

Touch's eyes opened even wider, her pupils dilating, "I... see... Thank you for making sure I was on time for class."

She felt a tugging on her sleeve as Yoriko beckoned her, "C'mon, we don't have much time. Let's get to class!"

Touka growled in exasperation, grabbed her backpack, and ran after her friend into the school. They raced through the hallways and up the stairs. Arriving breathless, Touka swung into her first classroom and walked to her seat.

 _Great, j_ _ust barely on time,_ she thought, _I really do wonder what happened last night though. He's so different now._

 _Holy. Shit. I was right! I have to tell him this._

Touka gasped and jolted back in her seat. Her entire class turned to stare at her in bewilderment. "Ms. Kirishima, are you alright?" her teacher asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm quite tired this morning. I didn't sleep much last night," she answered, placing her chin in her hand and staring forward.

Yoriko giggled quietly, causing Touka to stare at her. Realizing the connotations of what she had said, Touka opened her mouth slightly, narrowed her eyes, and huffed in annoyance.

 _You should... probably clarify that with your friend_ , the voice in her head deadpanned. Touka looked around warily, but more subtly this time.

 _Am I going crazy...?_

 _You were definitely crazy before._

 _This isn't right. Why now, of all times, for me to be going through this kind of crisis?_

 _Let's see. The facts are all kind of out there in plain view. What new 'thing' just came into your life?_

 _...Spectre...?_

 _And what is the missing key here?_

 _Yurei...?_ Then it sank in, _OH MY GOD. YOU AREN'T...!?_

 _Yep._

 _How? Spectre said you died._

 _Did he now? I suppose my dear brother always tells the truth._

 _If you're not dead, then how and why are you in my head?_

 _If I were alive, would it make any difference why I'd be in your head?_

 _..._

 _It's... a long story. One of the longest actually. It probably has to do with our bond._

 _Bond?_

 _Whenever either of us bonds with another person in an emotional way, we both become a part of that person's consciousness. It's almost as if we've left a part of ourselves in them._

 _So a part of you is in my head...?_

 _Yep._

 _You said when either of you bonds with a person. Which of you bonded with me?_

 _Who do you think? The apathetic one, or the loving one?_

 _The... loving one...? You?_

 _Yep._

 _So... he doesn't feel any kind of bond with me?_

 _We feel bonds with everyone. He has long since given up on acting on those bonds though._

 _What do you mean 'given up?'_

 _That is a story for another time, one that neither of us would like to relive._

 _I see..._

 _No you don't._

 _Wow._

 _Yep._

 **Several Hours Later**

"Eenie meenie miney mo!" Yoriko pointed randomly, "Fried chicken! Here you go!"

 _That's not good for you._

"Huh? No, that's okay." Touka flinched backwards at the piece of poultry that was suddenly stuffed in her face.

"You can't survive on bread alone. Here, eat this!"

 _You better not do that._

Touka stared at the chicken and sighed.

 _Oh my god, you're going to do it._

She leaned forward and swallowed it in one bite, pretending to chew in pleasure.

 _You're going to throw up. SO. MUCH._

"I changed the seasoning on it. How was it?" Yoriko asked eagerly.

Touka put her elbow on the table and made a gesture to come towards her. Her hazel haired friend leaned in, only to receive a smart rap on her forehead. She yelped in surprise and clutched at her face. Touka smiled and looked away, "Well, it's pretty good."

"Aw. You're just saying that." Yoriko muttered.

"No, really. It was good."

Yoriko grinned in satisfaction and went back to her meal as Touka contemplated and prepared for what was soon to follow.

 **About ten minutes later**

Touka clasped her stomach as she sat on the ground inside of a bathroom stall, legs splayed out to either side. She beat at her midsection with increasing frustration and panic, "Pass it. Pass it. Pass it!"

 _Yep. Told you so._

She growled in annoyance, then finally heaved for a final time, spewing the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Clutching the rim of the seat with one hand and a water bottle in the other, Touka collapsed backwards, gasping for breath.

 _Okay. There wasn't nearly as much as I thought there was going to be._

Touka huffed in agony.

 _Do you always talk this much now?_

 _Maybe I'm wrong about other things too. Perhaps you're not as_ _yandere as I thought._

 _Are you going to answer me?_

 _I could see you being... What do you think of that kid, Kaneki, that works at Anteiku?_

 _..._

 _Yes, I always talk this much. Someone has to talk enough for both of us siblings._

 _Oh. Kaneki is the biggest, most useless, idiot that I have ever met._

 _I see. Have you ever thought that his idiocy and uselessness could stem from fear of disappointment?_

 _Disappointment? From whom?_

 _You're so hopeless. Though, I should probably let you know that my brother is gay, so he's not interested in you._

 _WHAT?!_

 **Anteiku**

 _Holy shit. You told her what?_

 _I told her you were..._

 _No. No. I know what you said. I don't want to hear it again._

 _I mean, I could tell her you're interested..._

 _You know that I'm not._

 _Then I don't see what the problem is._

 _What did she say?_

 _She said something like, "Blah blah blah. Baka Baka. Stupid schoolgirl crush. Exclamation point. Baka Baka. Blah blah blah."_

 _And you said...?_

 _I said, "Yep."_

 _You don't just... Never mind. You don't listen anyway._

Spectre sighed and sipped at his drink in the ghoul managed coffee shop. He had woken up at six that morning, unceremoniously drug Hinami into his bedroom to change Touka, and then hauled the sleeping girl to her school. Currently, he was waiting for Kaneki, who was supposed to meet him after his shift ended. However, the boy had not shown up, even though he had gotten off nearly three hours ago. The manager had said something about him going to read at his university.

"Is something on your mind?" Yoshimura approached the sitting man.

Spectre nodded, "I was thinking about Touka. She's always been quite... detached from the world since her father's 'disappearance.' That being said, she seems to have developed a certain... infatuation with me. Could you explain this to me?"

The manager thought for a moment, then answered, "First of all, I have told you countless times, there was nothing that you could have done to protect Arata. He was a treasured friend of mine and of your sister. As to your question, I have some speculations that may prove to be useful to you."

"Go on."

"She has always looked up to you. You **are** one of the most skilled fighters I know. Even I looked up to you at one time. Touka has always wanted to nurture and enhance her strength. So this 'infatuation' as you call it is probably the result of her misconstruing her desire to be stronger by becoming romantically involved with you."

"You're basically saying she's a teenager who's obsessed with... getting stronger, but is mistaking her obsession with love?"

"More or less, that sums it up."

"Great. I suppose this is my fault. Neither my sister nor I explained to her what we really are."

"We have both agreed that the less people know, the better."

"This is true. However, her obsession with me needs to be shut down before it hurts her. God knows she needs less tragedy in her life."

 _Well said brother. Well said_.

 _This is your fault._

 _How is it my fault?_

 _I'm not entirely sure, but it is._

 _So what if it is?_

 _You're going to fix it._

 _I hate you._

Yoshimura smiled warmly and stood up from his seat. Spectre bowed his head, "Thank you. I will value your input on this situation."

"Something tells me that all this was, was confirmation," the manager said.

 **Commission of Counter Ghoul Headquarters**

"And that sir, is why I failed to subdue the ghoul known as Spectre last night," Investigator Amon stood rigid in front of the Chairman.

The Chairman nodded his understanding, "I see, Amon. Your report is satisfactory. Do not put yourself down anymore. No one would have expected you to have taken down a SSS class ghoul by yourself. You are dismissed. Investigator Shinzoku, would you please come over here?"

Kage got up from his chair at the conference table, watching Amon exit the room. He walked over closer to the Chairman and sat back down.

"Investigator Shinzoku, Kage, would you explain to me why you were not the one that confronted the Spectre?" the Chairman asked, one eyebrow raised.

Kage leaned back in his chair and answered, almost lazily, "I was looking into an incident involving a woman and her son making wild claims about seeing a ghost. More specifically, they claimed to have seen a ghost eating a human body."

"Therefore, you saw a rumor as more pressing as assisting one of our divisions in taking down an Aogiri tree meeting? Especially one that had all been confirmed to be hosting our newly reappeared target?"

"The only thing that I would have been doing on that mission of yours would be providing overwatch with the snipers. I do believe that is what my mission briefing said, right?"

"..."

"Judging by your silence, I seem to be spot on. Instead of participating in your shit-fest of a firefight, I devoted my time to productive acts of investigating where Spectre might be staying in Tokyo."

The Chairman frowned his assent, "I agree with your reasoning. However, that does not excuse the fact that you disobeyed my direct orders."

"Do you want me to take down Spectre or not?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then let me do it by my rules. I promise you, I will have that ghoul lying face up, right here on this table, dead or alive. Hell, I'll even rip his kagune out for you to have as a trophy."

"Very well. Do not disappoint me," the chairman exhaled, closing his eyes and shooing the other man away, "You are dismissed. Thank you for your time."

Kage all but leapt to his feet and flew out of the room. He paused on his way back to his office, looking at Amon tending to his head wound. He sighed and walked over to the taller man. "Investigator Amon, how are you doing?" he asked softly.

Amon flinched and stood up respectfully, "Investigator Shinzoku, sir, it's an honor to actually meet you in person. I've heard so much of your achievements."

"Don't give me that typical 'let me kiss your ass' shit. I just asked how you were doing. And for the love of god, sit down. You're liable to pass out with how your legs are locked." Kage glowered upwards.

His face quickly reddening, Amon flopped back down, "I'm doing better, sir. This head wound is more injuring to my pride than anything else. I failed to take down a SSS class ghoul, and now more people may be dying for my incompetence."

Kage frowned slightly, "I fought him once. I'm sure you've read my report of the fight. It's mandatory reading for the Academy's introductory course. Of course, it's ornamented with frivolous shit for media purposes."

"Sir... Your report said that you incurred a slash injury to your chest."

"It also says that I lopped half of that sunuvabitch's head off. He must have an extraordinary regenerative factor."

"Why are you telling me this sir?"

"Because you need to understand that this?" Kage gestured to Amon, "This is not your fault. Even one of CCG's most decorated investigators was unable to kill this ghoul. You should not expect an investigator such as yourself, with only a handful of experience, to take him down. You should be thankful you're alive at all."

"I... think I understand sir."

"No you don't. Not yet. But you will as you spend more time here. Anyway, if you ever need to talk to me, you know where my office is. Although, if you do drop by, make sure **not** to bring your partner, Mr. Mado. He's not the kind of insanity I want in my office."

With that farewell, Kage stepped out of Amon's office space, leaving the taller man with a flushed look as he tried to determine a response for the insult thrown at his partner.

 ** _A hum. A person's hum_.**

Amon shook his head, flustered, and looked around.

 _ **A giggle. A woman's giggle.**_

 _ **A shadow on the windowsill.**_

Amon jumped up spinning around, searching for the oddities. All of the blood rushed to his head and his world became white as he collapsed back into his chair. "Great, I must be seeing things," he wheezed, still dizzy.

 **Anteiku - That Night**

Touka opened the door to the ghoul establishment and walked inside. There was nobody to be seen. The shop had been closed for an hour and everything was in perfect condition for the next day. She tromped over to the stairs up, but something caught her eye. Behind the bar counter was small piece of paper. Intrigued, she stalked over to it and picked it up. She pulled it closer to her face so that she could read the writing scrawled on it:

 **There is some form of crisis happening in the only church near you.**

There was no signature. She looked around warily and tucked the note inside the elastic waist of her shorts. She really wanted to ignore the note, but she had an uneasy prickle on her neck that she just couldn't shake. After several seconds of contemplation, she consigned herself to her room. She entered her bedroom and flung her backpack into her desk chair. Shrugging off her rain jacket, she walked over to her window, kicking her shoes off, and opened it to freshen the air. Leaning outside the window, Touka inhaled, breathing the crisp night breeze. She flopped back on her bed and closed her eyes. The prickling on her neck came back with a vengeance and she sat up. _What the hell is wrong?_ She rolled back over to the window and sat there, silently.

There! She listened closely. There it was again! She could hear a faint crash emanating over the rooftops of the buildings every few seconds. _Is that what the note was talking about?_ The feeling of uneasiness kept growing and finally Touka gave in. She got out of bed, swiftly pulled her shoes back on, and snuck out of her suite back into the streets of Tokyo.

She hurried along the shadows of the streets, toward the ever growing crashes. Rounding the last corner, she stared at the cathedral in front of her. She could barely make out voices coming from the inside of the building. She headed to the large front doors, then reconsidered and went for the scaffolding on the side instead. Huffing, she pulled herself up and into the church. Inside, she saw three figures talking, and a third lying on the altar in the back. _Who are they...?_ She squinted her eyes, trying to focus them. It was Nishio and Kaneki standing together, looking as though they were confronting... Tsukiyama? What the hell was he doing there?

"Tsukiyama!" Nishio shouted, clearly angry.

Tsukiyama walked out from the shadows, "Nishio, I don't recall inviting you."

"Give Kimi back to me!"

"Unfortunately, I can't do that. She is here to add spice to tonight's banquet," the purple haired ghoul smirked, "I want to let Kaneki eat her at her maximum freshness."

Tsukiyama lowered his head, then raised it, a new insane glee forming in his eyes, "To be more precise, I want to eat Kaneki while he eats her!"

Nishio glowered, "You disgusting bastard..."

"Y-you're perverse..." Kaneki gasped.

"Perverse? How surprising. Supposing this is how you feel," Tsukiyama all but flew up to within a few inches of Kaneki, "Kaneki, you're the one making me do this, so you bear the responsibility for it."

Nishio growled and lunged forward, attempting to hit Tsukiyama. However, he grabbed the boy and lobbed him into a pew, "Why don't you take a load off over there?"

Kaneki, too, leapt forward, swinging a wild right hook. Tsukiyama simply grabbed Kaneki's fist, almost bored, "You're just like a baby chick, still toddling about. This is a real punch." He smashed the half-ghoul in the face, sending him onto his knees and hands.

Kaneki immediately got up and tried to aim a kick at Tsukiyama, who again said, "And this is a **real** kick!" as he savagely kicked Kaneki in the ribs, sending him flying into a wooden support pole. The eye-patched ghoul gasped for breath as he felt several of his ribs break. Clasping his stomach, desperately inhaling, he looked up at the approaching Tsukiyama.

"Now Kaneki, what would you like to try next?" he grinned.

Touka growled in anger at seeing her acquaintances being harmed in such blinding arrogance. She leapt from her position on the second floor of the church, executing for diagonal flip to gain momentum. She extended her arm and flew past Tsukiyama, slashing his face wide open with her fingernails. She landed on her feet, staring away from the Gourmet, "How about this one?"

"Touka!" Kaneki exclaimed, surprised by her sudden appearance.

Tsukiyama smiled even wider, "My, my, it's been so long since I've gotten even a scratch like this."

Touka glared confidently, while limbering up, "I'm going to kick your ass so hard that you won't be able to eat for a week, Tsukiyama."

The purple haired ghoul smirked back, "You've got quite the dirty mouth there, Ms. Kirishima. Long ago, you were well-honed, like a knife. If you are as strong as you were back then, then this injury," he pointed to his now fully healed cut, "would have taken much longer than a few seconds to heal."

"That was just a greeting. It wouldn't be fun if this came to a sudden end, would it?"

"My, you're quite a handful, you know that?" Tsukiyama flung his coat to the side, "But, that's also what makes you so cute."

He rushed forward and crushed the pew that should have been Touka. However, she had stepped backwards, securing a firm foundation with her feet and launching herself into a flurry of kicks, all of which were dodged or blocked.

 **Meanwhile...**

 _We should help them._

 _I don't think so._

 _Why not?_

 _My coffee would get cold._

 _You're a bastard._

 _That makes you one too._

 _Oh dear. Look._

 _I see._

 **Back on the ground...**

Touka stretched Kaneki's shirt down, clasping him from behind. _Am I really about to do this? He's so useless. I shouldn't be here, but the manager trusted me with his safety. This isn't right!_

"Here I go," she whispered, slightly hesitating. She bit down on Kaneki's neck, taking in his flesh and blood. It was surprisingly... pleasant.

Tsukiyama gasped in horror, screaming furiously, "He belongs to _me!_ "

His kagune whipped forward, toward Touka, who rose to stand. Suddenly, her kagune, the broken wings, manifested itself and deflected Tsukiyama's, shattering a handful more pews.

"He belongs to you? Don't make me laugh. Nothing in here belongs to you," Touka glowered, her eyes blackening, leaving only the distinctive red point in the middle. She leapt forward, sending crystallized shards of her kagune raining down upon Tsukiyama, who did his best to block them but failed and fell back.

Tsukiyama began laughing, as he rose again, "I'm delighted Kirishima-san! To think I would be injured this much by a kagune so equal to my own! I never thought I would see you like this again. I'm truly grateful!"

His kagune extended into a sharp protrusion as he rushed toward Touka, who nimbly jumped into the air behind him. She lashed at him, as he was forced back step by step, finally retreating to the second floor of the church. She chased after him, continually battering at his body and flung him back to ground level. Tsukiyama groaned, pulling himself out of the crater that his body had just made. "Not bad, Kirishima-san," he began running toward Kimi, "But it would appear that I need a bite!"

He came to within three meters of the human girl lying on the altar, before a hand reached up to grab his tie. His eyes widened, "Nishiki-kun! Why aren't you dead?! Die already! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!"

Tsukiyama stomped on the prostrate form of Nishiki repeatedly. The only response he got was a continued death lock on his tie and a moan, "Kimi..."

Raising his foot for the final blow, Tsukiyama growled, "I've had enough... of y-"

He stopped, a tingling sensation on the nape of his neck. He whipped around, too late. Touka bore down on him, full force, with her kagune. A flash of red, an arm flying in the air. She landed on the ground past Tsukiyama at the same time his severed arm did. She looked out of the corners of her eyes, only to be met with hysterical laughter. The Gourmet cackled, stumbling toward Kaneki, "It musn't end here, should it? No... Kaneki... Just a bite!"

Touka stepped forward, impaling Tsukiyama with her kagune. He wheezed a final time, before falling over face first. Kaneki sighed in relief, _It's over now, finally. Finally, we can just go back to Anteiku._ He looked up to the others, _No..._ Touka's kagune was still poised to strike as she walked stiffly toward the altar, which now hold both Kimi and Nishiki, the latter struggling to reach the former. "Nishiki, move aside," Touka said, "She knows about Kaneki and you. Such a dangerous person... cannot be allowed to live."

Nishiki turned around, glaring with his auburn eyes. They said all the words he didn't need to say with their nearly lifeless, glazed over, look. Yet, there was enough determination in them for one final push. One final effort.

"Touka, you can't!" Kaneki shouted desperately, struggling to his feet, "She is the same as what Hide is to me. The same as what Yoriko is to you! What is that were Yoriko, and not Kimi, up there!? Would you be able to kill Yoriko then?!"

 _No, my resolve. My resolve is strong!_ "Shut up!" Touka roared back, "That's why I have to kill her! So that never has to happen!"

Her kagune crystallized, sparking with energy. She shot her hardened spikes at the blindfolded girl, only to be met with resistance from the sudden appearance of Nishiki's body in front of her. Her kagune spikes entered his body and he collapsed into a heap on the ground, his last reserves of energy spent.

Kimi whispered, "Nishiki...?" Her blindfold slipped from her face as she stared at the approaching ghoul. However, her eyes were entranced by Touka's kagune. It's wavelike... no... It's flamelike appearance reflected in her eyes, "It's... so beautiful..."

Kimi gasped, suddenly realizing her position, "Oh... I... Um..."

Touka stopped in her tracks, eyes widened in horror. A flash of white enveloped her conscience.

 _"This world is cruel. All humans should die," Touka murmured dejectedly, seated on a bench outside of Anteiku, staring at the ground between her legs. Her waitress's uniform was stained from the coffee spilled by an angry patron._

 _A girl with pure white hair and dressed in a similar fashion knelt down, taking her hands in one hand, and tilting her chin up in the other. The girl's intense white eyes stared lovingly, dutifully, at Touka, "Yes, the world is cruel. But as those who are different, it is our birthright to endure those cruelties."_

 _Touka's eyes shivered in surprise, tears forming, "To... endure...?"_

 _The girl rose and sat beside her, still holding her hands, "If we don't suffer the cruelties this world throws at us, how will we ever know what is truly beautiful? Those who do not suffer do not understand. They walk in a world that is grey, without any differences. No cruelty. No kindness. They are all the same. But people like you, like us... We bear the monstrosities that are forced upon us, so that we may walk in a black and white world, where there are differences between cruelty and kindness. Never forget that. Everyone is beautiful, because they suffer."_

"What... is this...?" Touka muttered, before stepping back and fleeing from the church. Kaneki stared after her, the only evidence of her existence being the dim glow of her kagune disappearing into the distance. He turned back to the altar, limping towards the unconscious Nishiki and, now, sobbing Kimi. "Come on, we have to get him home," he smiled compassionately, grasping the other boy's arm and pulling him up.

 **Rooftop of the church...**

Touka sat, her knees drawn up, and her face buried in her arms. _How am I... beautiful...?_

 _You remember what I said?_

Touka jumped to her feet, alert, and glared around, before realizing the voice was in her head and sitting back down, _Oh. It's you_ _._

 _You do remember though, what I told you a long time ago?_

 _Yes... I remember._

 _No you don't... You've forgotten._

Touka's temper flared and she shouted, "I'm telling you, I remember!"

"Touka. That attitude is quite unbecoming of you."

She gasped and turned to the source of the sound. It was Spectre approaching her from the opposite end of the rooftop. He reached where she was sitting and joined her, "That fight was quite impressive, considering your opponent."

"You were watching?" Touka mentally face palmed, "Of course you were watching. You were the one that left me that note in the bar, right?"

Spectre smiled innocently, yet dubiously, "I have **no** idea what you're talking about."

"Why are you here?" the female ghoul deadpanned.

The male rose walking to the edge of the roof, "I just wanted to see how the half-ghoul was doing."

He toed the edge and turned around briefly, "I should probably tell you this now, so I don't forget. Your... infatuation with me has to stop now. I'm not interested, nor will I ever be."

Spectre sighed, the burden off of his shoulders, and stepped off the rooftop.

 _Baka. Baka! You fucking idiot._

 _What?_

He landed on the ground and kept walking, back to Anteiku.

Touka stared at where Spectre had just been. What he had said began to sink in and she lowered her head back onto her arms.

 _Please excuse him, he's really bad at this whole emotions thing._

 _Go away._

 _No._

 _Go away. **NOW**._

 _Whoa. You can emphasize that much mentally? That's cool!_

 _What do you want?_

 _Oh. As I was saying before he interrupted us, you forgot what I said to you._

 _No. I remember that conversation, if that's the one you're talking about, since you're in my head._

 _You remember my words, but you don't remember what I said._

 _I don't understand._

 _Anyone can remember words. You gave up on what I said. You don't realize anymore that beauty is inside everyone. What that girl, Kimi, said was true. You are beautiful. I see it. My brother sees it. Even humans see it. We all see it, except you. You have suffered so much and that is why you are beautiful._

 _You mean... he **does** see me?_

 _Holy shit. You're more thickheaded than you used to be. Listen... *sigh* ... Please stop this growing obsession with my brother. For your own sake and the others of Anteiku, you must._

 _I'll... try._

 _You need to stop worrying about my brother and begin worrying about that little bitch of a half-ghoul called Kaneki._

 _You don't quite understand it yet, but you will._

 _I don't see how this has anything to do that with baka._

 _That boy is your future._

 _That doesn't make any sense. He's so useless and cowardly. What are you anyway... some kind of future teller?_

 _You could say I'm something like that... You'll start to understand what I mean soon. Very soon unfortunately. I have to go now though, my dearest brother has lost his cup of coffee._

Touka remained on the rooftop, her kagune now retracted. She stared silently upwards, at the night sky, busy with the many airplanes and stars. _Beautiful..._

* * *

 **A/N: Hey everyone, it's been a while.**

 **I've had to rethink my interpretation of Touka. Her emotions were starting to be worn on her sleeve uncontrollably. This was something that I had to step back and think about. Also, my OC/OC's (however you want to think of them) kinda needed a more firm backstory with the direction I'm wanting to take them. I'm struggling with not centering it entirely around my OC. If I wanted that, I would just go and write a novel. My imagination has just run away with it, that's all, I suppose**

 **I've altered the summary of this story, because I realized that this is indeed going to end up as an AU. My split from the canon is going to happen within a few chapters.**

 **I've also been thinking about the Touken [ToukaXKaneki] pairing. Confirmed: NO LEMON. I'm not that type of writer. I enjoy fluff. Lemons are a nono. Based on feedback and number of reviews, I may add a bonus chapter separated from the main body afterwards.**

 **Further on the pairing. I realize it's the biggest ship in the Tokyo Ghoul universe. It's really stressful trying to make it work out as realistically as possible. But I promise I'm thinking it out thoroughly. If I'm doing something majorly wrong, please contact me about it. I'm pretty laid back and gladly receive advice.**

 **Anyway, that's enough ranting for this chapter.**

 **I hope you enjoyed! Please follow, favorite, review, or otherwise PM me if you so feel the need!**

 **Until next time,**

 **Angel**


	5. Chapter 5: Monsters

**Chapter 5: Monsters**

"Sister, the world is cruel."

"I know..."

"Then why do you still burden your mind with that man's death? He embraced death as only a hero could."

"We watch the people live their lives. Yet, there is nothing fair about it. The compassionate only meet cruelty from those they help. The cruel... They are rewarded for their... efforts."

"If the world were fair, then it would be boring. Everything would be the same."

"I can't believe I have to explain this to you."

A light chuckle. A light punch in response.

"Sister. You're the one with feelings, not I."

"That's true... I suppose..."

"What is it?"

"That girl... and that boy... That man's children."

"What about them?"

"They remind me of us."

"In a way, I guess they do."

"I have this... strange feeling... No one should have to go through what we did."

"No one will have to, thanks to what we went through... what we are going through."

"You know what I mean. It pains me to see people suffering, in any way. I know I can't help everyone, but it still makes it is still difficult to watch."

"Then let's help them."

Young Touka glanced warily around her. At this time, she was no older than ten. She and her brother, Ayato had just barely escaped the prying grasps of two ghoul investigators. They had found them searching for human remains in a random back alley and pursued them for nearly an hour. Now, they crouched under a city bridge, a car passing over them every few minutes. The moon hung full overhead. Ayato was starting to hyperventilate, and like always, as an older sibling should, Touka gingerly held him, whispering soothing sounds into his hair. "T-Touka... Are they gone?" Ayato grunted through struggled breaths.

Touka stroked his back, "I think so. I haven't seen them for a while. It's going to be okay. I promised I would... teach you, that I would take care of you."

"I-I'm so hungry. I want Papa..."

"Me too," Touka sighed, "He'll find us and it will be alright then."

The pair shivered in the night air as another car passed on the bridge. However, there was another sensation. They were being watched. Both Kirishimas shook their heads and scanned their surroundings. Ayato's breath hitched again, and Touka turned to parallel his gaze. There were two people approaching, carrying briefcases. The investigators. Touka muttered, "Can you still run?"

Ayato shook his head pitifully, "My feet... They hurt..."

Touka grit her teeth and stood up unsteadily. They were going to have to fight. The investigators grew closer and their briefcases transformed into their true quinque form. One investigator was a dark brown haired man whose face showed determination and a murderous intent. His quinque glowed a dim red, as it hardened into a long, curved claw. The other investigator was a woman; her hair was as black as the sky. Her face was kind, but, like her partner showed only iron-hearted determination to carry out her job. She carried a quinque that resembled a whip. It sat coiled around her arm, with only the spear-headed tip hanging loose.

The investigators slowed their pace and looked at each other, then barely nodded, and continued toward the siblings. Touka lowered herself into an attempt at a fighting stance. She growled, trying to summon her kagune. It just wouldn't appear. It showed up last time, when she direly needed it. But now? No, of course not now. The male investigator grinned and closed the distance between them, thrashing Touka against the wall. The single blow split her stomach open and blood rushed out. Her skin began to knit itself together, but not nearly fast enough. She looked up, vision blurry to see the man sauntering over to her. No, her brother. She looked over to her brother, who was cowering, curled up on the ground, with the female investigator standing over him, arms at her side.

Touka gasped, her voice a mere croak in the busy city air, "P-P-Please... not... my brother..."

Her head fell, dizzy from the blood loss. The man above her laughed, "Your brother, huh? Let me tell you this. You two? You are monsters. If you think you can pretend you aren't, so that you can 'grow up' and kill my family, then you are **so** wrong. Now... die!"

He swung his quinque up, prepared for the final blow. _Father... Please..._ Touka's thoughts struggled in one last desperate plea.

The man stopped mid-swing. There was a sudden chill in the air. The temperature seemed to drop twenty degrees. Every hair on the investigators' necks stood on end. The sound of the cars seemed to fade away, along with every other part of the normal buzz of Tokyo. A woman's giggle filled the eerie silence. The investigators spun around toward the source of it, raising their weapons. A lone, feminine shape stood on the other side under the bridge, merely a handful of meters away. Her outfit was completely white. She wore pure white boots with matching leggings and a mid-length asymmetrical skirt. Her jacket's hood covered her head, along with a silky, snow-white scarf that hid her mouth and nose. The only oddity in her color-coded clothes was the jet black katana that she held in a reverse grip with her left hand. It's blade seemed to almost absorb the moonlight that flowed around it.

The female investigator flinched in surprise, her eyes drawn to the blade, and her quinque beginning to flare up. Terror came as knot inside of her stomach as dread filled her, "Y-You. What do you think you're doing? This is official CCG business!"

The white woman smiled underneath her scarf. Her eyes flashed open, their brilliant white hue fitting right into her outfit, "We're killing monsters."

 _We?_

The male investigator's eyes desperately scanned the landscape, searching for the "we." He instantly turned around. Too late.

A dark figure plunged a pure white katana into his kneecap, then slashed sideways, entirely removing his lower leg. The figure stepped back into clear view as the man fell over, screaming in agony and clutching at his lost limb.

The figure was dressed in exactly the opposite scheme as the white woman. Distinctly male, the figure stood several meters away, his black attire mirroring his partner's, albeit minus the skirt. His katana glowed a bright aura, with an intensity that matched the sun. The investigator's blood muddied the light emanating from the sword with a rusty tint. Then, it slowly started to fade and the blade dimmed in intensity. The blood was gone, seemingly absorbed. The man clad in black tilted his head slightly to the side, "Do you accept your fate?"

The male investigator gasped in horror, dread crawling up his back, "All of you ghouls. You're all going to die."

"We're all destined to die. The only thing that matters is how," the black man whispered, now crouched, touching the investigator's shoulder with a single hand.

He slid his white katana into the dismembered man's throat, leaving only a gurgle to be heard. The female investigator's hand rose to her mouth as she witnessed her partner's death. She spun around to face the white woman, whipping her arm and sending her quinque slicing forward. She was met with cold black steel and an even colder stare behind it. The white woman coiled the whip around her katana and pulled the female investigator in closer, so that they were almost touching. The woman reached up with her right hand to lightly stroke the investigator's face. She leaned even closer, within a hair's breadth and whispered, "Such wasted beauty. I apologize."

The black katana angled down and slammed into the investigator's chest. The white clad lady extracted her blade, leaving only a stream of blood in its place. A wave dark energy glimmered down the blade's side, removing all traces of the death it had so swiftly delivered. Both of the mysterious figures sheathed their weapons on their backs and turned to the two children lying on the ground.

Touka struggled to maintain consciousness as she attempted to inch into a sitting position. Pain shot through her entire body and stars blinded her, causing her to fall back down, gasping for air. She looked over at the gruesome scene that had just occurred. The two people remaining standing seemed to be discussing something. The woman's head jerked back, tilted to one side, then nodded curtly. She slowly sauntered over to Touka with her partner and knelt down, sliding her arms under the younger girl, careful not to touch her injuries. She then stood up, cradling Touka with the same care that a mother would hold a newborn baby. The man followed her lead with Ayato. Touka opened her mouth, words barely creeping out, "W-Why are you... helping us...?"

The woman tilted her head down, her eyes filled with empathy and compassion, "Not everyone in this world wants to be cruel monsters."

"Where are you taking us? Who are you?" Touka eked out, her mouth beginning to leak blood.

The woman's head reached down even further, wiping the blood away with her scarf. Touka's blood left a red streak on it, like blood on a fresh blanket of snow. The carrier sighed, "We're taking you to see an old friends of ours, an old bird we used to know."

The man answered Touka's second question, "Today, we are the people who are saving the lives of two children."

* * *

Touka's eyes shot open to the sound of knocking on her door. It had been several days since the incident with Tsukiyama and she had confined herself to her room. The knocking stopped for a minute, then resumed for a handful of seconds. She sighed and rolled out of her bed, sliding her slippers on. Walking over to the door, arm outstretched to open it, she paused then looked through the eyehole. It was Kaneki. She immediately turned around to go back to her bedroom.

 _That boy is your future,_ Touka remembered from several nights ago. The voice in her head had said it holistically. She had thought about it for the past few days, but it still made no sense. Sighing once again, she leaned back against the door and muttered, just loud enough for the half-ghoul to hear, "What do you want?"

Outside, Kaneki nearly jumped out of his skin from the sudden response. He hadn't actually expected to hear her voice. There was a part of his subconscious that wondered if she was even alive. He struggled to recover, stammering, "U-Um... About tomorrow's shift..."

"Pass."

There was that layered anguish in her voice again. It hurt Kaneki to hear it. He answered, "Y-You know..."

"I... couldn't kill that woman," Touka murmured.

Kaneki's eyes widened in surprise, but understanding soon flooded him, "Earlier... Hinami and Ryouko-san were fighting... but they were able to mend things in the end. I saw the two of them and couldn't help but think 'Families sure are nice.' I realized that the love... the bond between mother and child wasn't confined to being ghoul or human. That shouldn't be a surprise."

He paused for a moment. He heard an extremely quiet shuffle on the other side of the door. He smiled slightly and continued, "Before all this happened, I had no clue about that. If we could all just come to terms with and accept this fact, then Nishio and Kimi's relationships could serve as a... beacon for how things **should** be between ghouls and humans..."

Touka closed her eyes, "What did you want again?"

Kaneki sighed. Perhaps he wasn't getting through to her like he had expected?

"Oh... uh... nothing," he started, remembering his true reason for going upstairs, "I shouldn't have mindlessly opened my mouth before... without knowing the relationship between you and Yoriko... I'm sorry."

He put his palm softly on the door, but removed it just as quickly, "Okay then... I'll let the manager know about your intentions for tomorrow's shift."

Touka exhaled and slid down the door, into a sitting position. That baka was finally gone. Baka didn't feel like the right word. She slammed her fist into the ground, gritting her teeth. Kaneki had apologized and it had only made her feel angrier with herself. If she had just killed that woman, Kimi, then this entire situation wouldn't even be a speck in anyone's head. She closed her eyes, tears barely forming, and fell back to sleep.

Kaneki turned and walked away, down the hallway. It pained him to be around others suffering. Every part of him ached and wanted to comfort Touka, but she was such a hardass... No... That wasn't quite it. He couldn't place his finger on what the problem was. It was almost as if she wouldn't let anyone get close to her. But then there was Yoriko, whom she seemed to genuinely enjoy being around. And then there was that Spectre fellow...

"Kaneki!"

His head whipped around. Speak of the devil. The diminutive Spectre was walking swiftly toward him. "Hi. Is there something you need?" Kaneki asked.

Spectre nodded, staring up at the taller boy and continued to walk, "We never did actually did get to talk."

"I don't have much time, because I need to get back to work, but I'm sure that they can wait on me a little longer."

"Good. I wanted to talk to you about your status as a half-ghoul."

Kaneki stopped, confused, "W-What do you mean?"

"You were implanted with the Binge-Eater's... Rize's organs, right?"

"...Right...?"

"Then it's obvious that ghouls can be created artificially. Do you know what that means?"

"I couldn't be more lost."

Spectre's mouth tilted in a small grin. He leaned in, his black irises glinting, "It means there are more coming. More half-ghouls."

"I-Is that a bad thing?"

"It **could** be," Spectre flipped his hair haphazardly, chuckling slightly.

Kaneki backpedalled rapidly, stammering, "C-Could be...?"

Spectre advanced toward the retreating boy, "You're the first artificially created ghoul. Even though it was halfway, you were still a success. You are going to be the largest thing in ghoul history since... well... you're going to be the biggest thing in ghoul history. You best tread lightly."

Finally stopping a hairsbreadth away from Kaneki, Spectre stared straight up through the six inches of air between their eyes. Kaneki gulped, terrified. Spectre blinked.

His left eye's color suddenly changed to a pure white then back to black with another blink. He backed away and cleared his throat, "Get back to work, Ken. You have a long day ahead of you."

Kaneki was frozen in his awkward position against the wall, still mortified by the ever growing mystery of Spectre. He was so strange, not to mention his moods were extremely liable to shift. It made for an uncomfortable situation every time he was near Kaneki.

* * *

Kaneki stepped out of Anteiku, opening his umbrella. This day seemed so determined to shit on him. The customers that had come in earlier were very irritable and rude. Now it was pouring down rain, adding to the mess that was already supposed to be Tokyo sidewalks. There were so many hustling around that everything was awful.

He sighed and jumped into the crowd, trying to avoid running into anyone.

* * *

Hinami kept running. Tears streamed from her eyes, instantly being washed away by the torrential downpour.

 _The investigators, the doves! They had... I need to find help. Someone. Anyone!_

She brushed against or hit someone running by them every second she was on her feet. She finally ran headfirst into a person barely taller than her, wearing a white silk veil and a formal business suit. The person growled, a feminine... no... a masculine... Hinami couldn't quite make out the gender of the person she ran into, "Watch where you're going! Jeez..."

The person stomped off in the direction they had been walking. Hinami's body heaved with sobs as she held her head in her hands.

"Hinami!"

She looked around, petrified, to see Kaneki running through traffic to get to her.

"Onii-chan!" she sobbed, letting him gently grab her.

Kaneki, confused, asked, "Hinami... What's wrong?"

"Mom... Mom is..." she couldn't form a sentence.

"Where is she?"

Hinami pointed back the way she had come. Kaneki grabbed her hand, "Come on, let's hurry!"

Kaneki's thoughts raced, _Why would she be freaking out this much? There's no reason for her to be like this... Unless... No... The only thing that would cause her to panic would be if her mother was in danger. From the doves most likely... I have to hurry!_

The pair kept barging past people, making quite the scene.

 _But when we find them... what good will it do for me to get involved? I don't know how to fight them or even stop them._ _What should I do... What can I do?_

Kaneki and Hinami raced back to the alley she had originally come from. The young girl flew around the corner, but Kaneki quickly grabbed her, stopping her from shouting her mother's name. The two crashed into the wall of the corner, watching the event unfold. There was a hunched over white haired man, holding a quinque that was long, white, and red. It resembled a thick segmented whip. He cackled toward Ryouko, who was kneeling down, her kagune limp behind her, "I suppose I should listen to your last words out of pity."

Ryouko remained silent, lifting her head. She caught sight of Hinami, whose eyes were bugged out of her head. The mother smiled, and mouthed, "Live."

Kaneki's eyes widened in horror, seeing the dove begin to raise his arm. He quickly shielded Hinami's eyes, suddenly wishing he could to the same to himself. Investigator Mado swung the quinque viciously, connecting with Ryouko's neck, "Whoops! A slip of my hand it would seem! What a shame... Time's up."

Ryouko's head tumbled backward, severed from her body, her faint smile still lingering. Her blood pooled on the ground, mixing with the water to make a flood of red. Finally, her body slumped to the ground, the life completely leaving it. Mado grinned, a toothy smile, "Let's go Amon. Our work here is done."

The two investigators placed their quinques back in their cases and stepped away from the murder scene. Kaneki sat where he was, still holding Hinami's mouth and eyes shut. His eyes were scarred as he tried to pry their gaze away from Ryouko. _This can't be happening. What was I supposed to do? What could I have done? This is my fault... Why!?_

A hand grabbed Kaneki's shoulder and spun him around with Hinami. He looked down into two very familiar black eyes. It was Spectre. What was he doing here, so coincidentally? The shorter man murmured, "It's still not safe yet. If they see you with her, then you're in danger as well. We have to go, now."

Kaneki cried, "But Ryouko. Her body. Her... Her... hea-... We can't just leave her here!"

"You can. And you will. Right now, you have to get back to Anteiku. Go. Now!"

Kaneki's chest heaved a final time as he held Hinami and ran with her back toward the coffee shop, oppressively depressing thoughts clouding his mind.

Spectre turned to the alley, walking silently over to Ryouko's body. The rain had slowed down to a slight trickle. He knelt down to her body. There was a very, very faint light above it. His hand reached out, encasing the light and pulling it close.

He whispered, "Ryouko, your child is safe."

Chuckling slightly, he stood up, "We may have been older than you by many, many years. And infinitely more cruel, if that is even possible from someone who had no cruelty to begin with in their heart. But that never stopped you from being kind. The world needs more people like you; pure and compassionate. Rest now. You deserve it."

The light glowed brighter for a moment, then faded completely, leaving him with only air in his hand. A single tear formed in his eye and fell down his cheek to join the red that stained the ground. He silently stood up and turned away, fists clenched and shaking slightly.

 _Nii-san. What is ours to take?_

 _Everything, my dear Ghost. We will take everything from them._

* * *

All of the employees of Anteiku and a certain black scarfed person were gathered in the small meeting room upstairs. Kaneki had just finished recollecting the day's horrific events to the group and they all sat in complete silence. The only sounds were choked sobs from the eyepatch wearing half ghoul. Nishiki opened his mouth, taking a deep breath, prepared to say something then stopped. Yoshimura and Yomo were staring daggers at him, so he uncomfortably ceased what he was about to say. Yoshimura's glare calmed and he began to speak, "Kaneki..."

The door to the room opened, creaking slightly. Everyone turned around to look at the newcomer. It was Touka.

She stared uneasily at the occupants, "Um..."

Yoshimura's face lit up unusually, "Touka, how are you feeling?"

"I'm sorry for missing so much work lately," her face shifting between trying to be friendly and figuring out what in the hell was going on.

"It's fine."

"Uh... Did something happen?"

The manager's face darkened to its previous state, "The ghoul investigators have taken Ryouko's life."

Touka's eyes widened and began to twitch. She slammed her fist into the wall to her side. Kaneki visibly rocked in his seat from the sound, cringing as another tear fell down his face.

She took a step forward, leaning against the couch desperately, "What about Hinami? Is she safe?"

Yoshimura nodded, "Yes. I've put her to sleep in the other room."

"Her face. Did they see her face?"

Everyone looked at each other, making an uncomfortable silence. Touka shrank back, falling to her knees, "What is this... Could this get any worse?"

"I'm thinking of relocating her to the 24th ward."

Things could always get worse.

Touka started shaking with fury. She stood up, her fists clenched, "Really? That shithole? There's no way Hinami can survive in a place like that!"

"Touka..."

"We can just kill the doves, right? We have Uncle Yomo," she pointed to the elder ghoul in the corner, then to the dark clad man in the other corner, "And we have... Spectre, right? If we all work together..."

Yomo shook his head, "No. If the 20th ward doves are killed in action, then they'll just be replaced. It will be one right after the other, until they've hunted us all down."

"But...!"

"Touka!"

Yoshimura spoke up again, "Yomo is right. We must not take any action against them. For everyone's safety, this is the path we have to take."

Touka was shouting by now, "Even though we've lost one of our own? And all we're going to do is sit around here and do nothing? Hinami's mother was killed... and we can't even avenge her!"

The manager closed his eyes gravely, "We should not be sad that we cannot avenge her. The only thing that is sad here is the person who is so blinded by revenge that they cannot live properly."

Spectre's breath hitched. Everyone looked at him, except Touka, who growled back, "What are you trying to imply?"

She dashed out of the room, slamming the door on her way out. Kaneki murmured, "Back there... If Touka had been there instead of me..."

The manager put his hand on his shoulder, "You should not blame yourself, Kaneki."

"As old as you are, little bird, you're as inexperienced as a toddler," Spectre snorted as he stalked to the door, "True, there was nothing he could have done. But his regret. His guilt. His pain. He needs it. It reminds him that he is alive."

The door closed again, albeit quieter this time.

* * *

 **A Few Days Later**

Kaneki sat quietly, watching the now sleeping Hinami. He gently removed his hand from her grasp and stood up, pulling a blanket up to cover her. He had just finished teaching some new words to the young girl, trying to keep her mind off of her mother.

 _Hinami... She didn't deserve any of this. So why did any of this happen?_

He walked to the exit, looking back a final time before slipping outside. An **extremely** loud crash emanated from the kitchen next to the room he was just in. Kaneki crept over to the kitchen door and peeked inside. Touka was kneeling on the ground, clutching at her left arm which was... bloody, very bloody. There were coffee beans scattered all over the ground, and a cupboard was flung wide open.

"Touka!" he exclaimed.

She growled back, "Stay away!"

"B-But you're bleeding!"

Touka mentally sighed and got to her feet, _This pea-brained idiot shouldn't be worrying so much about others. It will only get him killed_ , "Don't concern yourself with me."

Yoshimura's voice came from the doorway, announcing his presence, "Did you make a move against the doves?"

She clutched her arm closer to her body, developing a more protective stance, and nodded stiffly. Kaneki turned around, "Touka is hurt. We need to get her some medical attention!"

The manager smirked slightly, "No."

"What?"

"I said. No."

"What do you mean...?"

"If she's taken matters into her own hands, concerning the doves, then it means she's prepared to take full responsibility for her actions. Whether she lives or dies... it's of no concern to anyone else."

"Y-You can't be serious!"

Loud footsteps. Touka crashed past the two, flying out of the door and down the stairs. The floor shook as she slammed the backdoor of Anteiku.

Kaneki bowed his head an inch and said, "Manager. I'm sure you've been through a lot and that you must have the experience to prove so. But when the choice to strike back against the doves comes, or even when the rules of ghoul society are concerned, I know nothing. That's why I need to experience these moment for myself, so I can decide what is right."

He ran off after the other young ghoul, leaving Yoshimura by himself. The manager grunted and stepped forward to clean up the spilled coffee beans.

"He's right you know."

Yoshimura knelt down, sweeping the beans up, "You remember Eto, yes?"

"I remember she was a lovely child. The brightest I had met in a long time," Spectre stepped inside the room.

"I left her. I left her to grow up without parents. Not a single day goes by that I wish I hadn't kept her. But I did not make that choice, and now everyone, ghoul and human alike, is suffering because of it. I am prepared to take full responsibility for my actions that day. Kaneki needs to learn this as well. Touka too."

A smile.

"Yoshimura, my old friend. We all atone for our actions eventually. But only the foolish welcome justice, revenge, whatever it is that karma brings. "

Spectre paused at this, pulling his scarf down to reveal his neck. The veins on his neck were etched with black, as though some sort of sickness had set in. He continued, "Does this look like taking responsibility to you?"

The manager's eyes opened in shock, "How long have you been like this?"

"You know how long."

"How long do you have?"

"Days. Minutes. It doesn't matter. My question to you is: Is this taking responsibility? After all my sister and I have done, should this be our fate?"

"... You've saved so many, of course not..."

"Wrong. This is justice. You see us as only you can from your perspective. We, who are at a place that is so much greater than yours. You can only only see our accomplishments, our righteousness. You do not see how many people we have killed to meet these ends. You see only saviours. And so, in this way, Kaneki and Touka see the world. Their views are narrow-minded. Do not impress upon them your need for them to take responsibility. They will find what they must do... what they should do as they grow."

* * *

Kaneki ran out the back door of Anteiku, stopping only to grab the first aid kit off of the wall. Touka was curled up in a sitting position, her back to him. She turned her head around, glaring, "What?"

He answered, trying to muster some force, "You need to get bandaged up."

"I... don't need it."

 _Why is she such a hard ass?_ "But you're bleeding..."

Her head shook, "It has nothing to do with you, does it?"

"But still...!"

She picked up a can and flung it wildly behind her, "You're annoying the hell out of me! You're just a human!"

It was Kaneki's turn to get frustrated, "I'm a half-ghoul you know!"

Spectre's words came back to him, _You are going to be the largest thing in ghoul history._

He sighed, calming down, "Why did you go alone?"

"I don't care if a murderer like me dies. But... when a ghoul like Hinami or Ryouko gets killed for no reason," she ground her teeth and pulled her knees closer to her face, her entire body shaking, "I can't stand it!"

 _She knows what she's doing is wrong... and yet she still fights._

Kaneki tried to speak in the most sympathetic voice as possible, "Touka, I can't bring myself to kill anyone. Even if I think that the investigator's actions are unjustified, I don't believe yours are justified either. After seeing Ryouko's death, I realized that it doesn't matter if they're ghoul or human. If someone close to me died, I would be heartbroken."

His heartbeat accelerated, and his mouth dried instantly. He set his mouth in a line and pulled the remaining courage he had left, "I would be devastated if you died, Touka."

Touka opened her eyes. _What is this fool talking about?_ _I'm a murderer. It shouldn't matter if I die. It only matters if the innocent die._ She muttered, "Is that so...?"

"I want you to let me help you. I won't kill anyone, but I refuse to just sit around any longer."

 _This man. He's changed._ Her heart skipped a beat. Something was different. She had found someone who wasn't a coward. Someone who wanted to actually fight back instead of being trampled upon. Touka smiled, reassured now, and got to her feet, "We've got work to do then."

* * *

 **Commission of Counter Ghoul Headquarters**

"We're going to split up?"

"Yes... The water is quite extensive. Rabbit and 745. Nothing would be better than disposing of both of them."

"Are you certain they'll show up?"

"My instincts say so."

"We all know your instincts are aging, Mado."

Investigators Mado and Amon turned around to the newcomer to the conversation. Investigator Kage stepped into the setting light, smiling, "I've been assigned to go with you. The Chairman seems to thing that the Spectre will show up, since he has been known to have had previous associations with the Rabbit."

Mado returned the smile, though genuinely pleasant, "Excellent. That means you can show me your quinque you've been so secretive about."

"I've reserved its purity for the only ghoul I've met that has landed a strike on me."

"Come now. If you're going to tease me about it, then give me something of real importance."

Kage smirked and pulled his hands out from his back, revealing his weapon of choice. It was a jet black katana. The very light that shone upon it seemed to wilt and bend away.

Amon raised his eyebrow, "I thought that conventional weapons don't work against ghouls. Is that coated in some form of melted kagune?"

"No. It's a relic I found, one that can cut through the strongest of materials, even a ghoul's skin."

Kage thumbed the blade, showing an inch of the black blade. As soon as he did so, whispers seemed to emerge from it. Whispers that promised revenge. Pained whispers. Hopeless whispers.

* * *

 **Tokyo Waterway**

Hinami followed her nose. She had been following her nose for the past hour. And now, it led her to an obscure waterway hub, where she was now staring at a brown bag. It was sitting conspicuously out in the open, just begging to be opened. Hinami walked over to it and sniffed a final time, it was definitely her mother's smell. She bent down and picked it up, fingering the zipper. _But what in the world could it be...?_

She opened the bag, and peeked inside. What she saw caused her eyes to widen in panic as she clutched the bag to her chest. An unearthly scream came from her throat as she belted out the most horrified sound in existence, "Noooo!"

* * *

Everyone, ghoul and human alike, in the vicinity heard the scream. Admittedly, there were less than ten people close, but every single one heard it.

Touka took off running down the path leading to the waterway hub, her mind racing, _That was Hinami. It's my fault for not keeping a closer eye on her!_

Mado heard it. He smiled and kept his leisurely hobble.

Kage heard it. He too smiled and watched the running Touka from above, as she raced toward the source. He gripped his black blade eagerly.

Amon heard it and slid down the side of the slanted wall of the waterway, only to be stopped by a lone person. A lone person who wore a black leather mask, with an eyepatch and distinctly white teeth on it.

* * *

"Who are you? A friend of the Rabbit's?" Amon asked, "I don't have the time to entertain you. Step aside."

Kaneki lowered his head, and raised his arms into a fighting stance, "I won't let you pass!"

The half ghoul charged, swinging punches wildly at the investigator. Amon casually dodged or blocked all of them. Kaneki thought to himself, _He's fast._

A blow finally landed. Amon looked down at Kaneki's fist and simply grabbed the boy by his jacket and slammed him on the ground, growling, "Don't fool around with me!"

 _And fast!_ Kaneki realized, feeling his back crack from the impact, _I can't let him go. I can't let this man get to them..._

He leapt up from the ground, gaining some distance, and flexed his fingers, trying to limber up. Amon stared, his face expressionless, "Going to take me seriously now? In that case... I'll do the same."

The dove constructed his quinque, which resembled a long pole with a massive mass, almost like a barrel, on the end. He swiped at Kaneki and connected, sending him flying off the edge of the pathway and further near the bottom of the waterway. He followed the fallen ghoul down the stairs, his voice still monotone, "I've always wanted ask you freaks something. You casually prey on innocent people and compulsively devour them. Why? Why do you monsters exist?"

He reached Kaneki, pointed his quinque at his head, and kept talking, "The children whose parents have been killed... The grief of those left behind... The loneliness... Have their feelings ever even crossed your mind? Answer me! Damn it!"

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

Touka glared at Mado, who was nursing his bruised abdomen, "The terror of realizing that your life is being mindlessly preyed upon. Do you know how that feels? Having the people close to you... crushed... like insects underfoot. Do you understand what that is like?"

She started yelling, "Why don't you tell me the reason for Ryouko's senseless death! If it weren't for people like you...!"

The only response she received was a scowl and a maniacal grin. One that spewed hatred and mindless enjoyment from the incessant reaping of life.

* * *

"There is so much wrong in this world," Amon's eyes began tearing up, remembering his fallen comrades. He remembered his friends at the orphanage. So much blood. So much death. So much cruelty. So much wrong.

His eyes narrowed and he swung his quinque, "And it's all because of you! You monsters!"

Kaneki's limp body skidded across the wet ground. Raindrops spattered against his jacket as he stared blankly at his hands.

 _Ghoul's are causing all the trouble in the world. Is that really true? Was there a deeper reason for why Ryouko was killed? What about Hinami...?_

Amon approached, a mere speck in Kaneki's blurred vision.

 _Hinami also had the lives of all those she held dear taken away from her. Ghouls have feelings too... just like humans. Why can't they see that part of us? Why don't they try to understand?! It's so simple... so obvious!_

Spectre's words rang back clearly to him, like a golden ray of sunlight through the darkness, _"...biggest thing in ghoul history..."_

Kaneki's left eye felt like it cracked. His Kakugan appeared, his entire left eye turning black, leaving only a red speck in the middle. Then, it disappeared just as quickly as he realized, _I'm the only one who understands this... I'm the only one who can reach out to it... Only me... the ghoul... the human... I'm the only one._

"No," he muttered.

Amon stopped in his tracks, watching Kaneki rise from the ground.

"It's not the world that is wrong," the half ghoul looked up, "Sure, there are misguided ghouls who have chosen the wrong paths. But that doesn't mean we're all like that. We should learn more from each other. Both humans... and ghouls..."

He finally got fully to his feet, but remained hobbled slightly, his back aching, "Ghouls aren't the only things wrong in this world. It's you too."

Amon's glare turned absolutely murderous, "What are you talking about?"

"You won't even try to understand?" Kaneki growled in exasperation, "Then... I'll _make_ you understand!"

He spread his arms out, inviting Amon. The investigator gladly obliged swinging his quinque. A solid, guaranteed hit that sent Kaneki tumbling backward.

The boy stood up again, only to receive another hit directly the face.

He rose again, _What can I do to make him see? To get him to see me eye-to-eye?_ Another savage blow that knocked him from his feet.

Still he stood back up. We _can't keep doing this... This cycle of pain... of grief.._.

Yet again, he rose to his feet, unsteadily. Amon raised his quinque high, swinging down, knocking Kaneki down for the last time. He shuddered, his adrenaline not knowing where to go, since the young ghoul had not fought back. He turned away, only to be stopped by a weak grasp at his ankle. Kaneki desperately clasped at his leg. The investigator growled angrily, "Why... you..."

He smacked his quinque down on Kaneki's head, leaving a pool of blood on the ground. The second time Kaneki had seen how blood mixed so well with water to make it seem like a flood of red.

Kanji's eyes drooped wearily. _I can't let him go..._

A woman's voice in his head. A familiar one. Not the one he had heard frequently before. No. One he had heard in voice. In person. Rize.

 _"Kaneki, dear. You can't fight me forever."_

 _"No... I can't give in to you. I'm ghoul... but I'm human too!"_

 _"He will kill your friends. Hinami... Touuuuuka."_

At the mention of Touka's name, Kaneki's eyes sprang open. For some reason, it had revitalized him. He had made a promise to her. Not really a promise. Just a statement, which turned into a promise...

 _"Let me recall for you, Kaneki... 'If you died, I would be devastated.' Yes... That was it, wasn't it? And that promise... you refused to stand by while wrong happened in the world?"_

He gritted his teeth and brought his hand to the zipper on his mask. _Just this once... Just this once I'll give in to you._ He unzipped the mask, revealing his teeth, glistening white in the darkness.

Amon heard the footsteps. They were increasing in frequency. He turned around, raising his quinque. He was too slow. Kaneki launched himself upward, biting deep into the dove's shoulder, tasting the flesh. He swallowed and allowed himself to be flung back down to the ground.

He could feel it.

The power...

The waxing of his ghoul powers...

The rampage...

His kagune appeared from his back, two tentacle-like appendages, half of Rize's original kagune. His Kakugan reappeared, now in full force.

 _I... will not... lose sight of myself!_

And then, the two began in earnest.

Kaneki flung himself into well calculated strikes, aimed directly for the quinque.

Amon, on the other hand, was confused. He had never fought a ghoul like this before. He, himself, was the enemy, not his weapon. He shouted through his confusion, in pure anger, "Don't take me for a fool!"

The young ghoul smiled underneath his mask. _Perfect_. His kagune reached up, blocking the quinque with one appendage and reaching behind it with the other. They shoved suddenly in opposite directions, shattering the weapon in half. The pole and the head flew off haphazardly and disintegrated, leaving the investigator unarmed all of a sudden.

Amon's eyes widened and he fell to his knees staring at the ground. _It's over now... This is my end._

"Please... run away. If this keeps up for any longer, I won't be able to control myself" Kaneki said shakily, clutching at his right arm. His kagune twisted over itself endlessly, wildly trying to untangle itself.

Amon looked up and yelled back, the only response he knew at the moment, "Don't mock me! I would never run away from a ghoul!"

"Hurry! Please!" Kaneki shouted. His kagune unravelled itself momentarily and struck Amon, sending him rolling backwards and shattering his shoulder, blood spewing down his trench coat.

"Please... don't make me a murderer!" the half-ghoul begged, his eyes twitching in desperation.

Amon fought his inner desire to keep fighting and drug himself away, back up the stairs, and away from Kaneki.

The young ghoul now crept over to the railing overlooking the water flowing in through the waterway. Rize kept chanting in his head, _"Consume. Consume."_

There was a presence watching him. A close, but faint presence.

He whisked around, to find a tall, white haired person, with a bird-like mask on.

Kaneki removed his mask, and stared back, a crazed grin on his face, "I'm awfully hungry."

He jumped forward, impaling the figure with his kagune. The tall person calmly removed his mask, revealing himself to be none other than Yomo.

The older ghoul stared down, tilting his head to one side, "I can see now why Yoshimura and Spectre took such an intense interest in you. Now, I too am interested in seeing what you will go on to do from here on out."

Realization dawned on Kaneki's face as he began to rein in his murderous thoughts. His kagune withdrew and his kakugan faded, "What... have I done...?"

A warm smile and a package of human meat was his only response, "Come home Ken."

* * *

 **Atop the waterway**

Kage sat, crosslegged on top of the waterway. The rain fell on him, keeping him cool and his goosebumps alive.

It was close. He was close.

He smiled and spoke out, "Spectre. You came."

The investigator stood up and turned toward a clump of shadows, walking forward. The all black clad Spectre emerged from them, "Of course I came. You have something of mine."

"It would appear that I do. Although, as I recall, it's not yours... but another ghoul's... your sister's? What was her designation again...? Oh yes, that was it. The Ghost. Where is she?"

"She is dead."

Kage maintained his happy expression, though he was slightly disappointed now, "Shame. My condolences. I would have loved to have seen her here tonight as well."

Spectre stood still, watching the now circling dove, "Turn over that blade."

"Tsk. Too bad. I can't," the investigator clicked his tongue, "I need to claim yours as well."

"Turn it over, or I will have to kill you."

Kage put his hand to his mouth in mock horror, "Oh my. That is absolutely terrifying. Please, allow me to surrender to you immediately, like so many of your opponents must do after they hear your... empty threat."

The investigator drew his black blade from his waist, whispers coming from its abyssal edge. "Shall we pick up where we left off?"

Spectre palmed the white katana on his back, "You've been marked for death for a long time. Then was not your time. But now, your time approaches."

Kage leapt forward in an insane dash of speed past his target, slashing once. There was a metallic clang. He spun around, waiting a moment to see the results of his strike. Spectre remained standing, facing him, his hand still positioned on his sheathed weapon.

The dove narrowed his eyes, _How did he block my attack? He hasn't even drawn his weapon_.

He dashed forward again, striking upwards, then changing to a horizontal slash. Spectre drew his sword and deflected both strikes, before stepping backward and re-sheathing his blade just as quickly.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Kage kept up his flurry of attacks, only to be met with the same result each time. Deflections. Dodges. Sidesteps. And an unsatisfactory sheathed weapon. "Fight me, you coward!" he shouted angrily, "I slashed your neck nearly clean open last time we met! Are you afraid of me now?!"

Spectre shook his head calmly, "You forget. I am a master of illusion and trickery. You injured only a shadow of me, while in return, only a shadow of me slashed you from shoulder to hip."

"Damn you! Damn you and all you ghouls to hell!" Investigator Kage fumed. He grasped his blade with both hands and charged forward, swinging overhead.

However, Spectre stood there and took the strike. The black katana passed clean through him and clanged against the ground. Kage released his grip on the weapon as the vibrations from it hitting the concrete shook it from him. He stared at the dark figure in front of him.

 _What...?_ _No... No... How?_

The apparition in front of him disappeared. It was just a shadow. A false clone that never existed. He scrambled for the fallen katana, but as soon as he touched it, voices shot through his head. He fell to his hands and knees, gasping for air. There were thousands... no... There were millions... no... That was too few. There were millions of millions of voices speaking all at once in his head. Ones of terror. Ones of agony. Ones of love. Ones of peace. He clasped his head in pain and banged it against the ground trying to make them go away.

"That is our curse," Spectre approached from behind.

 _Is this a shadow too?_ Kage barely managed to squeak out the thought. He gasped out, "How do you deal with all these... voices? Are these all people you've killed?"

The dark man knelt down, his right hand still lightly gripping the handle of his katana, "Those are the voices of everyone who has died because of us. They are all those we have killed. They are also those we have failed to save. We bear the pride and shame of what it is to be Hunters."

"So many people... It's inhuman. Who are you to hold the lives of so many in your hands?! You're a monster. You're both monsters!"

"We're all monsters," Spectre smiled sadly, his dark eyes glazing over, "But we do it so no one else has to."

He drew his white blade. It's pure form graced the blackness of the night surrounding them. Kage struggled to bring his weapon to bear, but its weight seemed to multiply exponentially and his hand lay limp on the ground. Spectre murmured quietly, "And so, you are just another voice I am cursed to bear for eternity."

He slashed sideways and down, laying open the throat of the prone investigator. His blood seeped on the concrete, as he tried to speak, but his voice failed him and the light faded from his eyes.

 _"Brother. My blade."_

Spectre reached out and grabbed the black katana. He removed its sheath from the dead investigator's waist and replaced the sword within it.

 _"It has been recovered."_

 _"Brother..."_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"May I recede now?"_

 _"Yes. Go now. I will find you again. It's been far too long."_

 _A smile._

 _"Don't make a girl a promise..."_

 _"I keep my promises."  
_

 _"I know."_

 _"What is it?"_

 _"I can't wait to see you again. For real, this time."_

 _"Me too, dearest sister. Me too."_

* * *

 **Deeper into the waterway**

Touka looked up at the shaking Hinami. Both of their kagunes had withdrawn. "Finish him off," she said, "He killed your parents. Both of them."

The young girl raised her hands to her face, trying to wipe away the constant stream of tears, "No... I don't care about that... I don't care about revenge... I'm just sad. I miss Mom and Dad. It so lonely all by myself."

She crashed to her knees, no longer able to control the emotions that now flowed onto the ground.

"Excellent!" Mado limped forward. It had cost him an arm and a leg, but now he was going to claim his prize, "Since she's so lonely... She belongs with the rest of her family. She can now belong to me as my new quinque!"

He raised his left hand, bearing Hinami's late father's kagune. A horrendous squelch filled the air, and he looked down. A red mass had magically appeared where his chest used to be. He fell forward, face first. His body thumped onto the ground.

Touka crouched beside him, and fell flat on the ground, all of her energy spent. She looked at Hinami, making she was okay. Just a bawling mess, no apparent injuries. That was good.

Mado clawed wildly at the space in front of him, "Scum of the earth like you aren't worthy of living... Monsters. All of you...! I still have a score to settle. That one-eyed bastard. I'm going to bury him. Not until I catch him... I can't die..."

He exhaled a final time, his arm finally falling limp, and all traces of life leaving his body. Touka breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed against the wall. She reached out to Hinami and gathered her in, holding her close. Both female ghouls sat together, begging for this nightmarish evening to end.

After several minutes, Touka raked in what energy she could generate and reached forward toward Mado's body. He was wearing gloves. It intrigued her. She muttered, "You wear gloves... Does touching us... really disgust you that much?"

She removed his left glove and stared at it. A glint of light caught her eye and she searched for the source. It was a ring. A wedding band.

 _No. It can't be. Why... He had a wife... Did he have children too? Did I rob them of a parent, just like he did with Hinami?_

Touka's body starting shaking even more, not from exhaustion this time, but from pure horror. _Am I the same as him?_

"Touka!"

She looked up, the hairs on her neck standing on end. Kaneki and Yomo were walking towards Hinami and her. She nodded and stood up, ushering the younger girl toward Yomo. The older, white-haired ghoul calmly picked Hinami up and proceeded back the way they had come.

Kaneki followed him, but paused realizing Touka wasn't with them. He looked back, to see her still staring at the grisly mess that was Investigator Mado.

"Touka..." He murmured, extending his hand.

She stared back at him, her mouth slightly agape. She looked at his hand, then back at his face, then back at his hand. Out of pure necessity, she grabbed his hand and walked with him close, to stabilize herself. Kaneki could feel her entire body shaking as he wrapped his jacket around her, holding her now frail form tight to his own body.

They had all been through a hell of a night. They all needed someone to lean on.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hey everyone!**

 **Let me start this my saying, seriously FUCK website functionality. This shit has made me rewrite so many times because of it's failure to properly save.**

 **Anyway...**

 **HOLY SHIT!**

 **This chapter took so much out of me. Really. It has. I've had to draft and redraft. I've written it. Then I've rewritten it. I've spent... so much time in the shower thinking of the best way to flesh this out. But, I hope the result is as satisfactory as it feels.**

 **On the note of skipping scenes. You've probably noticed I skip intermittent scenes here and there. This is to cut back on the unnecessary filler material. I don't see how adding these scenes would benefit the story, since I don't plan to change them, and I would... hope... that everyone reading this knows what happens in the main canon anyway. That being said, if you want me to include more scenes, say so, otherwise I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.**

 **~Begin Rant (Don't hurt me)**

 **Speaking of letting me know. Please review. Please please please please please. I want to deliver a satisfactory story to... most people reading this. Do you know how I do that? I do that from reading feedback from you all. True, there have been some PM's that I've gotten on the story, but these don't correlate to the F****** CRAZY traffic stats I've been getting here. I know for a fact that there are repeat readers and people who keep coming back. To you people, review. It's not that hard. Just type down some words in that little review box and submit them. I don't care if they're criticisms or just "I Love You's" Anything helps. I welcome any and all feedback.**

 **~End Rant (Still don't hurt me)**

 **Anywho... *whistles gaily***

 **Let's talk about Touka/Kaneki romance. The last thing I want to do is rush into this. I admit, it's been slow, actually non existent in these first handful of chapters. But really, I need the slow burn. The slow burn hits the heart the most. I need the dumbass** **tsundere Bunny FuFu and the dumbass Mister EyePatch to live the OTP. It's happening, I swear. Warning, more fluff to come.**

 **Anyway, that's it for this chapter. I don't know when the next chapter is coming out. I kind of need to step back for a day or so on this. This wore me out.**

 **As always, thanks for joining me for this chapter. Please favorite, follow, and/or review (They are necessarily mutually exclusive)**

 **Much love to everyone,**

 **Angel**

* * *

 **P.S. Warning: Aogiri arc is coming. It's gonna be intense. I'm a sadistic bastard. I apologize in advance for anyone who will be triggered. I know I will be.**


	6. Chapter 6: A Ghost and a Date

**A/N:**

 ***Cough cough* fluff *Cough cough***

 ***Cough cough* rushed plot advancement due to slight impatience *Cough cough***

 **Hey,**

 **It kind of hurts me to rush romance of any sort, cause you know, slow stuff is the best stuff for me. Anyway, as always, here's the next chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **~Angel**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: A Ghost and a Date**

 **Several months since the Dove Incident**

 **Tokyo Booksellers**

Sen Takatsuki yawned for another innumerable amount this day. She forced her mouth into its ever present smile and chirped out, "Hello there! How are you?"

The person in front of her blushed immediately and set his book down, muttering, "I'm great. What about you?"

Sen said back, "Quite peachy, thank you for asking!"

But she mentally frowned as she looked the boy head to toe. _College student for sure; his backpack and the time of day say that much. Please don't be another..._

"I-I've always been a huge fan of yours... I've read all of your books and I love them all!" the boy grinned awkwardly.

 _Yet another hopeless romantic with a crush._ The green haired author opened the cover of the book in front of her, signed her name, and handed it back. She beamed at the college student, who only turned redder as he backed away stiffly, and waved the next person to come closer.

The author's agent seemed determined to fill her schedule up with these book signings. Not to give the wrong impression, Sen loved meeting all of her seemingly endless supply of fans, but it simply just wore her out. Combined with her extremely controversial night ventures, these day trips were far into their progression of taking their tolls on her. She looked up and peered at the end of the line. Thankfully, there were no more than ten people left. The two, massive bookstore security guards had just now closed off the venue to anymore newcomers. That being said, it was still well over thirty minutes **after** the signing was supposed to have ended. People had just kept flooding in, and she couldn't just deny all those begging eyes.

Sen sighed and sat her head on her hand, smiling at the next person. A bright shape and a commotion caught the corner of her eye. It was a man.

The young author instantly recognized him. A very youthful and very short woman. The defining factor was the scarf wrapped snugly around her neck; it was pure white. Her eyes and hair too. No. Her eye. One was white, the other was a dull gray. This woman... She was from her past, long ago, before she became Sen Takatsuki, the world renowned author.

Currently, the woman appeared to be in some form of verbal disagreement with the two security guards. The guards seemed to be trying to explain that no one else was allowed in the signing. However, the woman wasn't having any part of that. Sen could make out some of the words she was saying back, and they were... quite obscene. She called out, "Hey!"

She furrowed her brow, because she couldn't remember the names of the guards, "Excuse me!"

The guards turned around, and raised their hands questioningly. Sen smiled and waved to let the woman through. The woman stepped past the two guards, raising a single hand that held a less than friendly gesture. She hopped in at the back of the line, and pointed down, confirming that she would wait her turn, like everyone else. The author gave a thumbs up back and returned to greeting the next fan.

After finishing saying farewell to the final pair of fans, an adorable young girl and her mother, Sen scooted her chair back from the table and reached under it to retrieve her notebook. She resurfaced to find the woman from earlier had pulled another chair up and was now seated directly across from her. Sen smiled, genuinely this time. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, trying to frame the correct question. She finally settled for, "What should I call you now?"

"You've done your research on me since we've last seen each other."

"Well... you **are** the one that inspired my most recent book."

"What was it again? _The Hanged Man's MacGuffin?"_

"Yes... That's it."

"Yeah. I found it really interesting. All of the death sentenced inmates in your book are based around..." she lowered her voice, "my kills."

"What can I say? I found your methodology extremely interesting and satisfying. But anyway, you didn't answer my question."

The woman started tapping her lips, trying to think of an answer, "I think the name I went by the last time I was here... was Yurei. However, I've noticed that more and more people are calling me the Ghost. Personally, I think it's adorable."

Laughter bubbled from Sen as she barely contained her mirth, "And who are those people that are giving you that ridiculous, objectified name?"

The woman leaned forward and whispered, "You know who, Eto. Everyone seems to cling to the information that the CCG releases."

"So it **is** you," Sen, Eto, sat back in her chair, suddenly completely serious, "The Ghost... For a second, I almost wished you had forgotten about me."

She looked at her manager, who had just come around the corner. He gawked at the two, before being shooed away with a single motion from the author's hand.

Ghost smiled knowingly, "Your role in the coming days is too important for me to forget about you."

Eto flipped her pen around her thumb, musing, "Oh please, don't be so dramatic. Your black alter ego has enough drama for the both of you. Actually, you know. I think I last saw you on the news. You were jumping into some nuclear reactor... You have some serious explaining to do."

"So do you. Dear girl, the last time I saw **you** , you were killing every human you saw. Now, look at you. You're a world famous author!"

The green haired woman blushed slightly, "I asked first. You tell first."

Ghost smirked, but consented, "Where do you want me to start?"

"Start... Start with how you miraculously survived that meltdown in Fukushima."

The white haired woman laughed suddenly, "You're the one that's done research on me. You tell me."

Eto frowned, and thought for a minute, before it came to her, "So... I did a bit digging around in some history databases online. I kept finding mentions of two twins that were hunting for someone, or something."

She rapped her pen against the table, squinting her eyes, "What's more... They were always monochromatic, one black, one white."

Ghost nodded, "Keep going..."

"These twins... they are you and your brother, stop me if I'm wrong, please."

Silence.

"So. You and your brother keep popping up in history books. What are you two hunting?"

"How does you knowing that help to explain how I survived that nuclear meltdown?"

It was Eto's turn to smile, "Because I believe it's the nature of the hunt that keeps you two immortal."

Ghost returned the smile, "We're hunting for the man who is responsible for our... current state."

"That's another part of the story. The twins. They were born from one person, because they were betrayed by someone they saved."

"Most children **are** born from one person," Ghost's laughter filled the small venue, a joyous sound that seemed to make everything brighter.

"So you're saying that you are, in fact, two different people? This goes against what most of the stories say."

"Some stories also say we're spirits. We are, in fact, two different people. We were born naturally," Ghost stood up, extending her hand.

Eto just looked at it, even more confused. The standing woman snorted, "I'm offering to go get some coffee with you, so that we can get away from these... prying eyes."

They turned their attention at the ever growing mass of people outside of the blocked off venue. That thin black tape wasn't going to hold them all for long. Eto smiled but shook her head, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to pass on that. I have some preparations to make for tonight."

Ghost nodded in understanding, "Of course. I saw that your... uh... your protest rally against the CCG went nowhere."

"It went somewhere," the author leaned in, whispering, "I stole information, which has led to my discovery another one eyed ghoul."

"So have I."

Eto snapped her fingers, smacking her head with one hand, "I nearly forgot! Where **is** your brother? Is he lurking around nearby trying to scare me?"

The white haired woman chuckled, "No. No, he's still looking for me. After I... came back... I've been running some errands before seeing him."

"You just brushed off the fact that you died and came back to life."

"Wow! Would you look at the time!?" Ghost pranced away to the exit, "I really must go. I have a dinner date with an old friend of mine, the oldest actually. I'll give him your regards. Maybe an indirect kiss from you would even do him some good..."

She continued, snorting, "Probably not. It was worth a thought though. You'll have to remind me to fill you in some more, perhaps even completely, the next time we meet!"

"Is that a promise?"

"Do you want it to be?"

"Promises are never kept," Eto frowned, "especially ones made to me."

"Oh my... you've gotten cynical in the time that I've been gone. We'll have to keep our eyes..." Ghost smirked in return, "Oh wait... eye. We'll have to keep an eye on you, Owl."

Eto winced at the parting shot, but recovered her happy facade just as quickly. It was going to be a very long day.

* * *

 **Anteiku**

"So Kaneki, are you?" Hide asked.

Kaneki stared blankly at his best friend, obviously completely zoned out. Hide chuckled and snapped his fingers in front of his face, "Hey, wake up lover boy!"

"What?" Kaneki asked.

Still laughing, his friend repeated, "I just asked if you were going to ask that cute waitress, Touka, out."

Kaneki's eyes bulged and he choked on the coffee he was sipping at, "What the hell man!"

"Huh?"

"Could you not be so straight forward?"

"Hey, someone has to be straight forward, since you're not," Hide shrugged, a fake frown on his face, "So are you?"

Kaneki eyeballed the waitress, who was currently reached across a booth, scrubbing a seat while cursing under her breath. She turned her head to wipe the sweat off her forehead, and saw the two college students staring at her. Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to increase the volume of the words she had already been muttering.

"Touka, you damn idiot! Where did you put the morning blend beans?" Nishiki yelled from the back.

The girl gritted her death and shouted back, "They're where they usually are, Nishiki!"

The only other customer in the coffee shop, a high school age girl, hurriedly finished her checking out, and rushed out of the door. Touka growled and yelled again, "Now you ran off another customer! Nishiki, if I don't kill you, then the manager will!"

She threw her rag into the sink behind the bar and flopped down on a stool. Hide snickered and called out, "Hey, Touka, Kaneki here wants to know what you think of a date with him."

Kaneki gagged on his coffee, **again**. Touka did the same, but with only air. An awkward, and extremely unpleasant silence filled the air in Anteiku as Kaneki and Touka struggled to put together a word.

They formed their sentences and spouted them out at the same time.

"Depends."

"I would never ask you such a thing!"

Another even more awkward silence. Hide grinned like a child who just got away with doing something bad. He pointed to Touka, "You go first."

She glared, pointedly, and huffed, "I said. It depends."

Kaneki gulped, "D-Depends on what?"

There was a loud screech and a honk. Everyone turned to look out the window. The customer that had just left was standing in the middle of the road, frozen. She was staring at an oncoming truck that was in the middle of the street intersection. The driver was struggling to stop it, his hands scrabbling at the wheel. There was no way the girl was going to **not** get hit.

Unless...

Unless of course she didn't...

A woman, with white hair and a white scarf, ran between the two, so fast that it seemed she just appeared. She grabbed the girl around the waist with one arm and kept running. There was a very faint sound, almost like a vacuum seal closing, or someone finishing inhaling air through a small slit in their mouth.

All of a sudden, the girl was back in the coffee shop, standing in the exact same position, in the exact same place she was when she was paying. She wasn't alone; there was a plus one. The woman appeared too, but lost her grip on the girl and tumble headfirst across the floor. She crashed into Touka and they both ended up on the ground. Nishiki came running out of the back, fists clenched, "Touka, you idiot, what did you do now?!"

He stopped and stared at the scene. There was a woman, on top of his coworker. Straddling wouldn't be the incorrect word. He laughed, crossing his arms instead, "Heyyyy, Touka. I didn't know you swung that way."

Touka groaned and growled back, "Give me a minute. Then I'll get up and knock your teeth down your throat."

She opened her eyes and saw a very, very familiar face smiling back. She scrambled backwards, backing against a booth. It was almost like she'd seen a ghost. "Yurei...?" she gasped.

The woman quipped, "Hey girl. Long time no see!"

Yurei, Ghost, got to her feet and turned to the high school girl that had just been in the street a minute ago. The girl was still frozen, trying to articulate her fear and confusion. The white haired woman bared her teeth, trying to maintain a grin, "I'm sorry about that scare. And for this too."

She took a step forward, swinging her fist, and clocked the girl straight between the eyes. The girl dropped instantly, still breathing, but knocked out cold. Ghost caught her and dragged her limp body into a booth. Exhaling, she stepped back and turned to address everyone, "Any questions?"

"What took you so long?"

She looked over her shoulder, at the newcomer. "Brother!"

Spectre frowned, "What took you so long?"

"Oh, you know. This and that."

"This and that... what?"

Ghost stepped forward, arms extended, "Can a sister get a hug from her big brother at least?"

Spectre stopped her in her tracks with a single hand, "There's no excuse for you taking so long to meet me here..."

"I'm sorry.."

"That being said," Spectre looked down. Ghost smiled hopefully. He looked back up with a slight upturn of his mouth, "I've missed you. You left me here all alone with nothing but the... voice... and these adolescent goons."

He lowered his hand, and the two embraced. Several tears fell on the ground. All but one of them belonged to the sister.

Touka cleared her throat, causing Ghost to turn back around to face her, "Yurei... how are you here, alive? Spectre said you died in that nuclear incident years ago."

The white haired woman winked at the gawking Hide, whose mouth was now slightly drooling. She pulled a chair out and flopped down in it, "Since you call my brother by his designated tool name, call me by mine at least. It's Ghost by the way. 'Cause the CCG is so creative. To answer your question, our first rule."

"Your first rule?"

"Our first rule is that we lie."

Touka's eyes bugged out, "What?"

"I mean, sure, I was the one that jumped into the nuclear reactor," Ghost sat back, laughing, "But that doesn't mean I died in there."

Spectre scowled, "No, instead she gave me the biggest scare in my life."

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that was going to happen?"

"That's **not** how you find what's going to happen. We both know it would have been safer to contain it from the outside."

"There was a woman in there. I couldn't just let her die."

"She was seventy-four years old. And she was a janitor."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Spectre sighed, sitting down too, "I give up. You're hopeless."

Touka nodded slowly, very slowly, "So... you survived... somehow miraculously and you're here now... I don't understand."

Ghost grinned wickedly, "I have absolutely no idea either."

"She's back to drive me absolutely bat-shit crazy now," Spectre groaned.

Touka dropped her head on the table in resignation, "I have no idea how any of this happened. I trust that it is true, though, because... Yur-... Ghost is here, alive and well."

Kaneki wet his lips and spoke up, "E-Excuse me."

"Yes dear?" Ghost called to him.

Touka rotated her head up, her cheeks slightly rosy. Kaneki saw this and unconsciously twitched, "I know your voice... A-Are you the one that has been speaking in my head several times now?"

"Nope," she raised an eyebrow, popping the 'p.'

"Then who was it?"

"That's a story for another time," she answered, "But you won't have a problem with again... probably."

"Probably?"

By now, Hide had, more or less, flooded his table with slobber. He finally closed his mouth and decided to say something, "What the hell's going on?"

Spectre looked at the unconscious girl in the booth, "We should take her to the hospital."

Ghost nodded, "How are you..."

"You..."

"Right. Totally. How am I going to explain this to her?"

Spectre thought for a second, "Probably something along the lines of... the truck driver managed to stop, but she fell and hit her head. Something like that anyway."

"Okay, sounds good!" Ghost hopped up, "Bar?"

"That bar?"

"No, you dunce. That other bar."

"Oh. That one. Yes," Spectre nodded.

"Good, I'll see you then."

"Can't wait."

A handful of minutes later, with Ghost gone, only the skid marks from her adventure across the floor remained as evidence of her being there.

"So Touka. About that date!" Hide chirped suddenly, trying to recover from his confusion as smoothly as possible.

Nishiki and Spectre looked at each other, then grinned boyishly. Touka turned red, scowling at Kaneki, who was busy shrinking to a nonexistent mass in the corner of his booth.

* * *

 **Several Hours Later**

Kaneki sighed and sat back on his couch. It had been one hell of a day. He had survived Hide's nonstop teasing, somehow. Then that crazy Ghost showed up. She seemed even more insane and spontaneous than her brother. Then, once she had left, Touka's eyes had nearly squinted holes into him. He subconsciously examined his body with his hands, ensuring that he was, in fact, intact.

He put an arm over his eyes, and thought, _Maybe Hide was right. Maybe I'm not being straight forward. I don't really know how I feel about her though. She's always been there for me when I needed her, but she seems so distant. It's like she tries too hard to help other, but at the same time, she's afraid to get attached to anyone. The only people I've actually seen her connect with are that Ghost and that Spectre._

His heartbeat accelerated and his stomach twisted in on itself. He flapped his fingers trying shake it off, but it just wouldn't stop, _Is this what jealousy feels like? I don't like this. I'm not ready to admit my feelings. I don't even know how to word how I feel. But I can't stand to lose her..._

"Then tell her that."

Kaneki gasped, shooting up. He squinted, barely making out a shape in the dark.

It was Spectre's voice. Kaneki sighed in tensed relief, "Oh. It's you. How did you get in?"

"Your door was unlocked."

Kaneki nodded, then realized something, "Wait. Was I saying all of that out loud?"

"Yep."

He facepalmed, scrunching his face up, "P-Please don't tell Touka I said any of that. I don't hate you either. I really don't. I'm just really bad with getting these kinds of things off my chest."

Spectre chuckled, "It's okay. I understand. I was a kid like you once, too, you know."

The half ghoul exhaled. Somehow, Spectre's voice was different. It was softer. Kinder. Kaneki asked, "What are you doing here?"

"That bar my dear sister mentioned earlier today ," Spectre mused, "is for you and Touka. Not for us."

"What?"

Spectre smiled, "It's for you two. You need to clarify things with her."

"Clarify...?"

"You two are going to that bar."

"Together?"

"Together. And you're going to tell her exactly what you just told yourself... and... me... You're going to tell her what you told yourself. Exactly."

"Why?"

Spectre sighed, his smile disappearing, "You know, my sister fell in love once. It's not an easy thing for us."

"How do you mean?" Kaneki asked.

"She fell in love with a simple man, a child of mind really. Compared to us, he was so young. He couldn't grasp the complexity of our nature, but nevertheless he loved her too. It took a while for them both admit their feelings to each other, but they eventually did."

"So what happened to them?"

"Currently? Currently, they are happily together. I don't know if they are married, but I don't think it really matters. They both know, for a fact, that they make each other happy, and that is enough."

"What... was the point of your telling me this?"

"I'm getting to it. You know, I fell in love too."

"You?"

Spectre laughed, "Don't sound so surprised. It was a time long ago."

"I feel like this isn't going to end well..." Kaneki shivered.

"I loved her, but she loved someone else," Spectre's voice darkened, "That other man... he killed her."

"Oh... I'm... sorry..."

The air in the room kept getting colder. Kaneki had goosebumps everywhere, as he rubbed his hands together.

Spectre murmured, "We didn't ask to be like this. We just wanted normal lives. But no. That man... he had to take it from me. He tried to take it from my sister. You know, he tried to kill her lover?"

"D-Did he succeed?"

A laugh, "No. Of course not. I just said that they are happily together. No. I found that man. I very nearly killed him, but his child... the look in his daughter's eyes stopped me."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry. You don't understand yet. He did not succeed. I stopped him. But... the woman I loved... her death made me realize something..."

"What did it make you realize?"

"It made me realize that life truly is fleeting. The chances we get are momentary and cloaked. We have to be looking so closely to see them. And we have to try even harder to take them. That's why I'm going to say this to you now. You take this chance. It will be your last one. If you don't... you will never have the opportunity to be hers... ever..."

Kanji's eyes widened, his pupils dilating, "I don't understand..."

Spectre suddenly stood up, wiping a single tear away with a finger, "Get up Ken. Get dressed. You're going on a date with the most beautiful... the second most beautiful girl you know."

The darker man cringed and turned away whispering to himself, "Please don't kill me sis, I really didn't almost mess up."

Kaneki was absolutely confused now, "What am I going to say to her? She'll kill me if I say any of what I just thought aloud."

Spectre stood up and slapped the half ghoul on the arm, in a friendly gesture, and winked, "Don't worry, it'll come to you when you need it."

Kaneki just gulped and held back a flinch.

* * *

 **About an Hour Later - At that bar**

Kaneki stood awkwardly in front of the bar. He looked down at his clothes, casual, jeans and an olive jacket. _I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm doing this._

"Stop being a wuss and go!"

He looked around and saw Touka stumbling towards him. She tripped and he reached out, letting her fall into his arms. Her head hit his chest and she looked up, cheeks red. They jumped apart, hands behinds back embarrassingly. Touka turned to glare. Ghost had just shoved her down the street, making her lose her balance. Now, the older woman was just grinning. She gave a double thumbs up and stepped into the shadows, walking away.

Kaneki looked back to Touka and stared her up and down. She was wearing a dark violet coatdress, with a black belt wrapped around her waist. Her hair was nothing special, just it's normal style, with possibly a combing done. Her outfit made her look ages older, but preserved her youthful beauty. Kaneki gulped, his heart rate increasing, "Um... Hi Touka."

Touka held her hands behind her back, staring down, "So... are we going to go inside?"

"Huh? Oh yeah... Of course... After you," he motioned to the door.

About twenty minutes later, they were seated. The bar was... a bar... It was uncharacteristically quiet, with just a few people actually at the bar. The others were only seated quietly, enjoying meals as well. Kaneki sipped at his water, clearing his throat, "So uh... Touka..."

The girl turned her attention to him, still flushed slightly. It was an adorable sight that caused him to lose focus momentarily. She asked, "What is it?"

"I-I'm sorry... I don't normally see this side of you."

She narrowed her eyes, anger coming to her face, "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

 _Ah. There's the Touka we know and love._

Touka turned her head away, coughing slightly. Kaneki gasped, "Oh my god. I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Mhm."

He turned away too, "S-Sorry..."

"Hey..."

He looked back out of the corner of his eye. Touka was smiling thinly at him, "Stop apologizing so much. It detracts from conversations."

"Oh. I'm sor-," he paused, correcting himself, "I mean... What I meant to say was... Ask was... How did they get you to come?"

"They? Yurei... Ghost told me you already had it arranged, but you just forgot to tell me about it," she cocked her head.

 _Those sly devils,_ Kaneki laughed mentally. He said aloud, "Oh... yeah... but still, I didn't think you would actually come."

Touka chuckled too, this whole side of her was so strange to him, "I enjoy time out on the town, just like anyone else. I've just been busy with exams lately. They've kept me from getting out and doing anything, really."

"I see..." Kaneki nodded.

The two ate the rest of their meals in moderate silence, neither of them knowing what to say really. Kaneki picked up the check and they left the bar.

They walked outside, shuddering in the cool air. They turned in the direction back to Anteiku and started walking.

Kaneki spoke up, "So... Touka..."

"What?"

"There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."

Touka's step hitched for a moment before returning to normal, "Me too..."

"Really? You go first then."

She glared, "That's not fair."

"I asked."

She huffed in annoyance, "Fine. I... wanted to apologize..."

"Apologize?"

"Yes. I wanted to apologize for how I've treated you in the past. I don't want you to think that I hate you. I mean, I used to hate you..."

"Used to?"

Her glare hardened, "Stop interrupting."

"Sorry..."

"Apologies..."

"Oh... Go on."

"I used to hate you, because you were... are a half ghoul. I thought that you were only human... I guess you are half human. But... after the whole incident with Hinami and the doves, I realized that it doesn't matter. You were right."

She paused, and Kaneki took the silence to insert softly, "I was right about what?"

Touka stared up at him as she suddenly grabbed his arm, gently pulling him closer to her, eyes slightly watering, "You were right about everything. It doesn't matter if we're ghoul or if we're human. I realized that we should all try to be the best we possibly can be. Just because we're different biologically doesn't mean that we're actually different."

He smiled, closing his eyes, and looked up, "I'm glad you see it that way too. It makes me feel like my sermon didn't actually go unheard."

Touka laughed quietly. Kaneki gasped, _Her laugh... It's... so soft. So unused. Is she really not that used to laughing?_

She sighed and he looked down at her, "Did I think aloud again?"

"Yeah... you did," she murmured, "It's not that I don't like laughing. There's just rarely ever anything to laugh at. Nishiki makes me so damn mad at work. Then things like Tsukiyama and... Ryouko... happen. Reality checks, I suppose."

Kaneki squeezed his arm into his body slightly, bringing her body even closer so that her face was almost against his arm. He sighed, "I understand how you feel. I have Hide for those days. He's my friend... my best friend. He knows me better than anyone else. He knows how to cheer me up on those days. He knows what makes me tick. And I appreciate him, I love him so much."

Touka flinched, her breath catching audibly. She bowed her head suddenly. Kaneki looked down, concern striking him, "What is it? Did I say something wrong?"

"Baka na no?"

He gasped, "Huh?"

Touka looked straight forward, gritting her teeth, "I apologize. Love is... a difficult topic for me."

"What do you mean?"

"My mother... was murdered by the doves when I was young. I loved her. She was kind and compassionate. My father raised my brother and me. I loved him. Then, he disappeared. I don't know if he's even alive. He did everything for us..."

"You have a brother?"

"Yes. I loved my brother too... He left several years ago. I haven't seen him since. I suspect he's still alive, but he has become a monster, killing and consuming mindlessly."

"I see... I see how it's difficult for you then."

They walked for a few more minutes in silence.

"Tell me what you wanted to talk to me about," Touka spoke softly.

Kaneki's shoulders tensed, _Is this even the right time to tell her? She_ _just said that love was difficult for her..._

A laugh, "Is that what you wanted to tell me? You... love me?"

Kaneki chuckled, "I should really assume that everything I think is being said aloud."

A few more seconds of silence.

"So is that what you wanted to tell me?"

Kaneki sighed, "No. That's not."

"Then what?"

"I... don't know how to phrase it."

"Then try."

Kaneki stopped walking, sliding his arm out of his pocket. They had reached Anteiku. The lights inside were off, and the sign was turned around to 'Closed.' He tentatively moved Touka's hands down to his own. Through half-lidded eyes, he looked at her, trying to find the right words, "Touka... I... wanted to say... that... What I said a while ago. When I said that I would be devastated if you died... I meant it, I really did."

She answered gently, "I know."

"Good, I'm glad. I'm not entirely sure how to describe this, so I won't try. I'm afraid that I'll just mess it up," Kaneki hesitated. He inhaled, and decided to go for it, "But I know this for sure. I... can't lose you."

Touka stepped back slightly, her mouth agape, "What?"

He squeezed his eyes together, gritting his teeth and spouted the rest of it out, "I don't know what your relationship has been with Spectre... or Ghost... either of them really. They just seem dangerous and I'm afraid that whatever they're involved in will end up with getting you involved too. Then you'll end up getting hurt, maybe even killed. Then I won't be able to live with myself anymore."

He waited a second before opening his eyes. He was met with the sight of a teenage girl with her hand over her mouth and her eyes wide open. _Great, now I've done it. She's gonna kill me now..._

"I don't need someone to protect me," Touka said, her expression darkening.

Kaneki gulped, _I really messed up. Damn you Spectre._ He sputtered, "I-I didn't mean to offend you."

"I appreciate your caring for my wellbeing," she clenched her fists as her face fell suddenly, "But I will never... no I **refuse** to be the damsel in distress. If that's what you think you're doing... If you think that all I am is someone who needs help, who needs protection, then you can damn well get off my case!"

Before she knew it, her emotions had burst loose and she was shouting. Kaneki flinched with every word she spat out.

Memories flashed through his head.

 _His mother's funeral_. Small and quiet. She had died being unknown.

 _Rize's death_. Her continuing haunting of him.

 _His encounter with Hide and Nishiki_... He had almost devoured Hide... his best friend, his only friend.

 _Ryouko_... her death that had been his fault. His cowardice had left Hinami without a mother.

And now this.

Kaneki turned away, his brow furrowed as he struggled with his inner turmoil. It felt like waves of ice had replaced his blood. His skin, itself, seemed to quake.

In a moment, he crashed through the Anteiku front door and fled upstairs, leaving Touka alone outside.

Kaneki fell through his door, gasping for air as panic closed in on his mind. _I can't lose anyone close to me, no more. Everyone close to me gets hurt. I can't... no..._

He collapsed face first on his bed, trying so hard to relax himself. It just wasn't working. He couldn't stop thinking about everyone that had died, or who could die. The wind from outside picked up, and he could hear it from inside his room. His breathing fell nearly silent as he listened to the breeze. It was soothing, just the whispery sounds it made against his window. The occasional leaf blew up against it, but even that with it's slight scratchy noise was relaxing.

"Kaneki..." Touka's voice came from beyond his bedroom door.

He slowed his breathing even more, desperately trying to wipe his tears away. His voice was hoarse with emotion, "Please go away Touka."

"No."

"Please... I don't want to bring any harm to you."

Touka leaned in through the door, its opening muffled by her whole body. She walked across the room and set herself as gently as she could on the bed beside Kaneki. She murmured, "What do you mean?"

"Everyone I've been around, they've been hurt. Everyone. I don't want to hurt you too."

She sighed, "I told you. I don't need anyone to protect me. I overreacted earlier. I'm... sorry."

"You don't understand. I've hurt Nishiki... Ryouko... then in turn Hinami... I could have killed Hide," at this point his voice cracked.

Touka's breaths came evenly and calmly. She grabbed Kaneki by his shoulders and flipped him over to face the ceiling. His breath stopped in fear at what was about to happen. He squeezed his eyes shut, praying for a merciful beating. Instead, he only felt a warmth against his forehead. He cracked his eyes open. Touka had placed her forehead against his, her eyes now shut. His cheeks quickly grew very, very red. He closed his own again as well, and whispered, "What are you doing?"

She murmured back, "You're acting childish. I've told you countless times, I don't need a protector. I don't **need** anything. But there is something that I **want.** "

He bit back a whimper, "What?"

"I want you to stay just like this."

"I don't understand."

Touka shifted so that his head was against her chest. He could hear her heart slowly thump away. She smiled, "You hear that?"

"Yes."

"That is the heart of a murderer. Of someone who will kill to keep what they love from falling apart."

"Don't say that..."

"It's true," she then pressed her hand against his chest, "This? This is the heart of a kind soul. Of someone who will stop at nothing to protect the ones it loves, but will not harm others. This is the heart of someone whom the world has reigned hell upon, but deserves so much better. If I'm the one you want to protect, then you need to step away and consider that the person worthy of your protection is elsewhere."

Kaneki sat up, suddenly furious. He grabbed her hands and looked her dead in her eyes, "Touka. You deserve more too. We both do..."

He paused, realizing what he had to say. Spectre was right after all, it all just came at the right moment when he needed it the most, "Will you let me make a promise to you?"

She lowered her eyes embarrassingly, "What is it?"

He echoed his statement all those days ago, back during the dove incident, "I promise to protect you. All of you here at Anteiku. But I also promise to never, ever change who I am. I will **not** lose sight of myself."

Even as he said this, his self-loathing and self-doubt started to cloud his mind. They whispered curses, hatred, toward his newfound courage. But he shrugged the off. The new gleam in Touka's eyes lent him the strength to push his negative emotions aside.

Minuscule, few, tears fell from Touka's eyes as she nodded, her mouth clamped shut, for fear of letting anything other than words out. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Kaneki, burying her face in his chest. She heaved a breath into him, her tears wetting his shirt. He fell back in shock from the girl against him, and they lay flat on the bed. They stayed like that for a good five minutes.

Finally, after they had both calmed down and their bodies had steadied, Touka laughed, "Hey... Kaneki."

"Hm?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

Kaneki's breath hitched, "Why?"

"Because I'm really goddamn lazy. Not to mention my back still hurts from the cleaning, and the crashing around I did today."

He chuckled quietly, "Sure. You can stay."


	7. Chapter 7: A New Day

**Chapter 7: A New Day**

* * *

Kaneki yawned, rolling over and stretching his arms out. He froze, feeling an unfamiliar mass next to him. His hands curiously patted up and down, trying to discern what exactly it was. There was a muffled groan, causing his nerves to shoot off in every direction. He tore his face away from his sheets and looked over at it. It... or rather... She was Touka. And Touka was in a spooning position. Or rather, to be precise, he was the little spoon, and she was the big spoon.

He couldn't help it, he really couldn't. An abnormally loud gasp left his lips as he realized his predicament. He was the little spoon in bed, and his hands were currently over Touka. If she woke up and saw him like this, she was sure to beat him within an inch of his life, if not closer. So how was he going to extricate himself from this situation?

Long answer: Over the next few days

Short answer: Not at all

As if on cue, Touka shifted a tiny bit, her eyes slowly opening. Again, Kaneki couldn't help but gasp. It was morning, there was a... beautiful girl lying next to him, and she had just woken up. She looked like an absolute goddess. Her eyes were still half-lidded, glistening with tears from the light as well, and her lips slightly dried from sleeping with her mouth open. To add to this, her hair was ruffled out of its normal pushed over style.

She yawned, and he stopped breathing, waiting for his punishment. Instead, he just got a pleasant smile, "Good morning."

 _I'm not dead yet? What's wrong here?_ "G-Good morning. H-How are you?"

He felt her two hands clasp around his back. "I slept... very well. Thank you."

"D-Do you know what time it is?" He didn't know what else to say, but he had to get out of this exposing, and frankly, emasculating position.

She closed her eyes again, muttering, "Baka na no?"

"W-What?"

"Shut up and go back to sleep."

"W-Why?"

A motion at the window caught his eye. There was a pair of eyes, and a tuft of vaguely familiar white hair peeking over the sill. They winked lazily, almost salaciously. Actually, they were completely erotic. This person was unusually skilled with their expressive eyebrows. _Ugh, why me!_

"Because we both have today off."

"Wait," Kaneki's eyes narrowed, "You knew that we both had this day off?"

Her nose scrunched up, "Obviously."

"Oh."

"Are you going to go back to sleep, or am I going to have to get up?"

As embarrassing as his position was, Kaneki suddenly realized he didn't want to actually get up or leave. He resigned himself to a content smile and settled back down, tucking his head in and closing his eyes. Their morning was long from over.

* * *

"You have a lot of explaining to do," Spectre blinked, sipping at the coffee in his hand.

Ghost grinned daintily, twirling a loose toothpick between her fingers, "Where do you want me to begin?"

"Where did you end up after the accident?"

"I got shot out somewhere in the Pacific. Southern part, now that I think about it."

His jaw dropped slightly, "You **swam** to the mainland?"

"Nah, I swam to the closest boat. It was really small, just a fishing boat really."

"Okay, so you swam to the mainland, then what?"

"Easy. I... persuaded them to take me to the closest major port city."

"By persuaded, you mean...?"

"I mean I persuaded them, baka."

"Okay, okay, I get it! What then?"

Ghost crossed her arms decisively, sitting back, "Then I went hunting for him."

This caught her brother's attention. "Did you get anything substantial?"

"He's flying out of Tokyo tomorrow, headed to San Francisco."

"What for?"

"How should I know?" She shrugged, "You gonna go after him?"

"I want to. I really do, but I need to stay here."

"Why?" She raised an eyebrow.

"The half ghouls here. They're becoming more and more prominent. I need to ensure that they don't get quashed out of existence."

"Really? That's interesting. It must mean they're starting to realize their own powers."

"Exactly. If they have a chance, then they need all the help they can get. I think this Kaneki might be the start of it all."

 _Or perhaps someone else too..._ "I talked with Eto before I came here."

Spectre rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "What do you think?"

"She's planning **something**. I don't know what, but I don't like it."

"Damn it. Just when things are getting fun around here, we get a golden opportunity."

"I say we go for it," she blinked.

"The moment we leave, you know what's going to happen."

"I know... but we have to leave eventually. We have our contract to fulfill."

"Fine," he mumbled, "I'm never going to live with myself after this."

* * *

"Damn idiot Touka, wake up!"

Nishiki had been furiously pounding on her door for the past five minutes. But for some reason, he couldn't get her up. Usually, as soon as he started, she flew to the door and knocked him on his ass. Today though? Nothing. No loud thumping of feet. No sudden pain in his jaw. Just... nothing.

He growled, irritated. _Guess she's not here today_. He stalked away from her door, back to the stairs. Then suddenly, he heard a soft murmuring coming from Kaneki's room. Nishiki tiptoed up to the other boy's room and gently laid his ear against it...

"Look, I'll be right back. I just have to get some coffee." It was unmistakably Touka, but what was she doing in Kaneki's room? Didn't she hate him?

"B-But you're not wearing any pants!" That was definitely Kaneki. He was in his room, that much was normal. Wait... Touka... no pants... what? Nishiki's face turned red, imagining what the younger girl's already gorgeous legs looked like without clothing on.

"I told you already, I don't sleep with pants on. It's just more comfortable."

"Okay. Okay. Fine. Just... make it fast. The book signing is in an hour and I can't carry both mine and Hinami's books."

There was a slight patter of feet. The doorknob turned, and Nishiki gasped. Someone was coming out! The door opened, and he found his face smashed straight into Touka's oncoming chest. They both fell in a lump on the floor.

"N-Nishiki!"

His eyes naturally roamed downwards. Yep, she was definitely **not** wearing pants. Yep, her legs were just as gorgeous. He smiled weakly, "Touka, you idiot, where... did you... put the coffee beans?"

Touka's eyes narrowed, mere inches from his own. She snarled viciously, scrambling to her feet, "I'm going to kill you! One of these days, you're going to die, by my hand!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Now where are the beans?"

She scoffed and scampered off down the hallway, out of sight. Nishiki sighed, and clambered back to his feet. He walked straight through Kaneki's door without knocking and flopped down on the couch. "Oi! Kaneki! Your girlfriend is running through Anteiku half-naked!"

"N-Nishiki?" Kaneki's voice called out from somewhere in the general vicinity of the bathroom.

"Yeah, you womanizer. Get out here!"

"One sec..."

Kaneki came creeping around the corner, very timidly. He had hurriedly thrown on some track pants and a loose blue hoodie. He grinned awkwardly at Nishiki and went to join him on the couch, "What are you doing in here?"

"I was trying to find that damned Touka, so I could wring out of her where she hid the coffee beans."

"Oh."

Nishiki leaned forward, his eyes unusually glinting, "So, Kaneki. What was **she** doing in your room, without pants on?"

That set him off, "I-I... Well... She spent the night here, last night."

Nishiki choked on his own saliva. It took him several seconds to recover, spluttering, "What the hell? As in, slept slept?"

"What? No!" Kaneki shot back outrageously, "I mean, we **slept** together, but not in the way you're thinking."

"Then tell me."

"We just... got back from dinner at a bar..."

"Dinner? Together? As in a date?" Nishiki couldn't believe what he was hearing. Little scared Kaneki and little bitchy Touka went on an actual date?

"Are you going to let me tell you what happened or not?" This was starting to annoy Kaneki.

"Oh. Yeah, of course."

"We'd gotten back from dinner and we ended up talking here in my place. She decided to stay here, because she was too tired to go back to her room."

Nishiki guffawed, "Ha! That dumbass Touka couldn't drag herself down the hallway?"

"No. I couldn't." Touka's voice came from behind them.

The boys turned around, with looks on their faces that could only be described as 'caught doing something naughty.' Touka was standing in the middle of the floor, two mugs of coffee, and possibly one of the most miffed expressions ever. She closed her eyes, muttering, "Nishiki, get out."

He grinned cheekily, "Or what?"

"Or I'll bash your fucking head in, idiot."

"Getting out." And like that, Nishiki was gone, without a trace.

Touka sighed and shuffled over to the chair across from Kaneki. She set the coffees down, then collapsed in the chair, propping her head up with one hand. Kaneki looked at the cups, "Thanks."

"I should be the one thanking you."

"Huh?"

She blinked, staring absentmindedly at the ground, "Last night, you helped me resolve some issues I'd been having."

This again? "How so?"

"I... was not certain who you were," she rubbed her head, "Now, I know it for sure."

He smiled slightly. _Shouldn't I be worried about what kind of person she thinks I am?_ No... he wanted to know exactly what she thought. He'd had enough of this uncertainty and shaky ground that he'd been creeping around. "What kind of person **am** I, Touka?"

She hesitated for a moment, but still no worry plagued Kaneki. She looked up at him, eyes filled with surety, "The best you know how to be."

And there it was. Seven words to change his life. The only seven words he'd ever needed to hear from anyone. She was the second person to have ever placed such confidence him, the other being Hide. That's all he'd ever wanted from people: their faith in his persistence in the chase for good. Perhaps this was another person with whom he could remain close with forever?

Touka continued, "Which is why I want you to show me how you do it."

 _What the hell?_ "What?" He was absolutely baffled.

"I want you to show me how you are so perfectly able to..." she paused, gathering a breath, "be the best you possibly can."

Where was this coming from? He tried hard to do his best, but was it truly his best? Also, what was with her sudden change in attitude? Didn't she want to kill every dove just the other day? He coughed, trying to find the words, "I... don't know what you mean."

"You promised me that you would remain true to who you are, always. How are you able to make such a hard promise, so easily?"

 _There it was. Was he just another oath-breaker?_ "Because I intend to keep it."

"I... believe you. I also want to be able to make the same promise to you."

He coughed, "What?"

"I am a murderer, a violator of life. It's all I know how to do. I've resorted to violence in all struggles. I've... begun to realize that there is no room in the world for such people..."

"Touka..."

"But if that is what I truly am, a murderer... that promise would be empty. I cannot exist as I am in a world where there is no place for me."

Kaneki smiled warmly, "Touka. All of us ghouls, half-ghouls, whatever we are. We are all murderers. There may be no place for us, but that doesn't stop us from existing. It doesn't stop us from trying. The last thing I want to do is kill someone, but if they stand to hurt others, then I may... reconsider. I may be wrong about my choice later on, or I may be right. But... do you know what that is?"

"Huh?" She perked up slightly.

"It's the best I know how to do. Live your life. You can only do all you can."

Touka chuckled, "That's self-fulfilling you fool."

"Give me a break. I'm usually the one bitching and moaning about how shitty I am."

That got a good laugh out of her. It was a good sound, one he hadn't heard enough. One that he wanted to hear more. She answered, "You didn't answer me though."

"What?"

"Will you help me... to do my best?"

"That depends. What do you want to do your best at?"

Choosing words carefully was hard. "I... want to stop my unnecessary violence. As of now, it's a part of who I am, but it needs to change."

"I see. Then, I will," he said decisively, "I'll help you. If it's within my power, I'll do it."

"T-Thank you."

They sat around the coffee table. Now that the issues were resolved for now, they couldn't eke out any form of communication. _Oh my god, this is awful_ , Kaneki mentally slapped himself, _Do you really have nothing in common that we can't talk about?_

"Uh... Touka... I'm out of coffee." _NO! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?_

Her eyes narrowed, "I'm not your personal waitress, baka."

* * *

"Touka, hurry up, we're going to be late! Where's Hinami?!" Kaneki shouted desperately running around the ground floor of Anteiku.

"She's coming!" Touka yelled from the back.

Ghost and Spectre simultaneously coughed from their booth, grabbing Kaneki's attention. He waved, "Good morning!"

The sister grinned, "Hi! You three headed somewhere in a hurry?"

Touka came bursting out of the back door, Hinami and a load of books in hand. She gasped, "We're ready to go."

Kaneki rubbed his neck anxiously, "Y-Yeah. We're headed to a book signing."

"Oh, really? Who?" Ghost clapped her hands together excitedly. She winked at her brother, who just rolled his eyes.

"Uh... Sen Takatsuki."

"Oh my god! My favorite author! I saw her just yesterday, y'know?"

"You know her personally?!"

"Yeah. I knew her when she was a kid, adorable little brat that she was."

Spectre coughed, pointedly tapping at his watch.

Ghost got the hint, "Oh yeah. We have a flight to catch, so we should let you go."

The three standing up gawked. Touka was the first to speak, "What? But you just got back! Where are you going?"

"We're just going on a short trip to America. It shouldn't take much time at all. Just a... business trip really."

"Oh..."

"Don't worry about us! You'll see us in no time!" The twins got to their feet. The now standing Spectre's hand revealed a small knife, no longer than his forefinger. He idly flipped it over his thumb, flipping off some wood shavings. They both walked over to the door.

Kaneki asked, "You're leaving now?"

"Yep."

"Don't you have luggage, or something?"

"Nah. We travel light."

"But your swords... they don't allow weapons on flights..."

Ghost shot her brother a look, "Uh... we never really have any problem with that. Nii-san, does he always ask this many questions?"

"Not usually," Spectre shrugged, his eyes glinting mischievously, "He must've grown some balls last night."

"Maybe. We should get going. See you in... eh... a week?"

"About."

Ghost waved rapidly before darting out the door. Spectre just flipped his knife shut and paused to look around the coffee chop. He muttered something. "What?" Kaneki furrowed his brow, trying to hear.

The male twin just smiled sadly, "Have a pleasant week, Ken."

He, too, walked out of the door after his sister. "It's the only well wishes you'll be getting."

* * *

 **Short chapter. Sorry. Felt like I had to get something out, even if it was short. Also sorry it's not as good quality as my other chapters. Again, had to get something out. Busy weeks -.-**

 **Next time: More Eto and the start of Aogiri Arc (Forgive me)**

 **~Angel**


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